Plague Arcanist (Frith Chronicles Book 4)

by Shami Stovall

  With the plague running in my veins, I didn’t want to mingle with random arcanists for longer than necessary.

  Perhaps I would see the undead whale in the delta, and that would be enough to sate my curiosity.

  “It’s quite cold,” Adelgis said as we maneuvered our way through the crowds to the front door. He rubbed at his arms, his simple outfit not enough to fight the evening chill.

  The wootz cotton kept me a little warmer, but it wasn’t enough. “Hopefully, the inside is better.”

  Once we got through the front door, a cloud of alcohol-scented smoke wafted over us, but at least it was warm. Almost everyone had a mug filled with an odiferous white substance. It had to be alcoholic, given the way everyone drunkenly conducted themselves, but I wasn’t familiar with the drink.

  Adelgis pressed himself close to me as we navigated the cantina, speaking loudly, but I still couldn’t hear him well. “It’s desert milk.”

  “Milk?” I asked.

  “Not actual milk from an animal. The drink just turns white when water is added. It’s an alcohol made from grapes and figs.”

  Adelgis’s random knowledge always astounded me, but now that he continually heard thoughts, perhaps this was just a result of information osmosis. How else would Adelgis have known about the specific drink people enjoyed in New Norra?

  The many tables inside the Painted Cactus were dedicated to card games or dice. I had never been good at gambling, and since I didn’t have any coins, I didn’t bother paying much attention. Instead, I focused on the stage in the far back. A couple of men sat on a long bench, each with a string instrument on their lap. They plucked at the cords, creating a pleasant melody that didn’t demand too much attention.

  Karna, dressed in a long skirt with slits to her hips, danced to the gentle tune, her slow but precise movements causing her flowing attire to swish around her. The inside of the outfit was lined in shimmery scales, and when she flipped backward—landing gracefully on her feet every time—the shine of the scales demanded attention. Anyone sitting at the tables near the stage only half-focused on their game. Even I almost forgot I was walking through the cantina.

  Her long, blonde hair was tied in a loose ponytail, and her top was a tight half-shirt that covered her shoulders and chest and nothing else.

  The moment the song stopped and Karna took her bow, coins flew onto the stage from men and women alike. Karna offered winks and a slow wave as she gathered the copper and headed backstage.

  Adelgis placed a hand on my shoulder. “You should speak to her. I want to ask the bartender a few questions.”

  The woman behind the bar glowered in our direction, her cutthroat appearance a little intimidating. She stood taller than most men, scars on her face and neck, and her shoulders had been carved out of small boulders. The arcanist mark on her forehead had the design of a half-goat, half-fish—a legendary capricorn—and she appeared to have weapons not-so-hidden in her oversized robes.

  “Just be careful,” I said.

  Adelgis nodded as he headed over to the bar and kitchen area, not a hint of concern on his face.

  Now that I was alone, I got near the closest wall and then stepped into the shadows and moved through the crowds in a matter of seconds. One moment I was in the gambling area, and the next, I was behind the curtain of the stage, back with the performers and musicians. The dim lighting didn’t bother me, as I could see in the dark, but it was obvious some of the entertainers couldn’t see well in the gloom. A dancer leapt up in surprise the moment she managed to catch sight of me, a quiet gasp escaping her as she staggered backward.

  “I’m here to speak to Karna,” I said.

  As though summoned by saying her name, Karna stepped out from behind a rack of clothing. She pushed back her hair with a flick of her wrist and sauntered over. “It’s okay, Telli. This is a good friend of mine.”

  The woman touched three fingers to her chest and left us without another word. Karna hooked my elbow and guided me off to the side, away from everyone preparing for another round of entertainment.

  “You look like you need something,” Karna said, amusement in her voice.

  “I was wondering if you could help us gain access to the Grand Laboratories of New Norra.” Guilt crept into my thoughts, like we were planning a heist or some other overt criminal activity, and I felt compelled to explain myself just to make sure she didn’t get the wrong idea. “We need to figure out Theasin’s location, and the lab isn’t open to the public. We’re not going to take anything or disturb their research. If you could impersonate Theasin Venrover, just for a short while, that would be helpful.”

  “I can do that,” she said.

  I exhaled and half-smiled. “Really? Thank you. We’ll be at the lab in two days and—”

  “But I want something in return,” Karna interjected.

  The request caught me off guard. With my eyebrows knit, I said, “I don’t have any coins.”

  For a split second, Karna’s expression hardened, but the look disappeared as quickly as it had come. She turned around, grabbed a leather pouch off a nearby table, and then opened it up to reveal hundreds of coins—most were copper, but the occasional silver shone through. She took my hand and then dumped a small pile into my palm.

  “There,” she said with a sarcastic edge. “Buy yourself something nice in the market.”

  “I didn’t mean I needed this.”

  “Your father wants to help you craft a weapon, right? You could probably buy a mystical creature part or two, if you know how to haggle.” Karna tossed the pouch back on the table, a sly smile creeping back into her expression. “I don’t want your money.” She grazed her fingers down my chest. “I want you to sleep in my quarters for the rest of the trek.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “At least until we find Theasin Venrover.” She gave me a coy smile. “Do that and I’ll lend you any and all of my magic whenever you want.”

  “Karna,” I muttered, my face growing hot. I pocketed the coins and stepped back, unsure of how to word everything. I hadn’t expected such a demand. “I can’t. You know why. You’re an arcanist, and if you were infected through… well, through intimacy, and—”

  She gently placed her hand over my mouth. “You’re cute when you’re flustered, but I don’t want that. I truly just want your company. And I know you’re the type of man to be beyond respectful.”

  Once she removed her hand, I exhaled and stared at the floor. It was flattering to hear she wanted my presence, but the nature of the arcane plague meant it could be transferred in numerous ways. My ever-growing fear of infecting someone else made this otherwise flirtatious proposition seem needlessly dangerous.

  “Fine,” I eventually said. “But I’ll leave if anything happens.” I said the word with awkward emphasis, and I felt foolish for doing so, but what did she want from me? To say all the details aloud? “And only after we investigate the labs.”

  Karna gave me a quick embrace, her arms around my chest. “Perfect. You just let me know when you need me.”

  With an unfortunate amount of time to waste, I trained with Fain, helping him improve his magic, as well as practicing my own.

  During one of our sessions, Fain stopped after evoking ice across the deck of the Sun Chaser. He stared at his frostbitten fingers for a long moment and then turned to me.

  “Did your evocation become more powerful as you used it?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure.” I recalled back to the many times I had used my magic. “But I have gained better control of it. At first, I evoked terrors that affected everyone in the area—friend and foe. Now I can control it. Pick specific targets. What about you? Have you gained any sort of subtler control?”

  “I create ice, but I’m not sure what else I could do with it.”

  “Your ice coats the ground… Have you ever tried to frost something else? Like the air?”

  “How would that help?”

  “You could create a fog. It could ob
scure vision?”

  “An ice fog is different than normal fog,” Fain said. “It’s filled with crystals—frozen bits of water in the air. It’ll do more than just fill the area with thick mist.”

  I rubbed at my neck. “I’ve never seen ice fog before.”

  Fain lifted an eyebrow. “Really? It’s common up in the north, where it snows for four months straight. Breathe too much of that ice fog and you’ll get sluggish—plus, you’ll have a hard time getting enough air.”

  “Try making some,” I said.

  Fain held up his hand, his concentration visible on his face. I held still, trying not to distract him in any way. When he used his evocation, a thin layer of rime washed over the Sun Chaser again, but a second later, small portions of the ice wafted up, creating streams of fog that lifted from the deck, like ghosts rising from the grave.

  After a long moment, Fain gasped and lowered his hand, his breathing becoming labored panting. The ice on the deck faded.

  I jogged to his side. “Are you okay?”

  “It’s too hot,” he said through gritted teeth. He bent over, posting his hands on his knees and gulping down air. “It was difficult to do even that much…”

  I patted his back. “I’m impressed. You did a remarkable job for your first time.”

  “Yeah, you really did,” a cute voice chimed in.

  Fain and I looked up. Biyu sat on the far side of the airship, her one eye locked on to us, a smile across her face. She scooted a little closer and rested her chin in both hands.

  “Don’t give up,” she said. “I believe in you! You should try again. Maybe this time with your wendigo? I want to see you two do magic together.”

  Fain’s cheeks shifted to a shade of pink. “Uh…” No other words came to him.

  “Not right now,” I said. “But perhaps later. At night, when it’s colder.”

  “I won’t get a good view at night,” Biyu said, frowning.

  “I’m a knightmare arcanist. I can make it so you see in the dark.”

  Her sadness vanished in an instant. “Really? That’s amazing!”

  I couldn’t contain my smile. “Then you should come back at night, Illia—er, Biyu.” I ran my hand down my sweaty face, trying to clear my thoughts and focus. “We’ll train for a few hours after it gets dark,” I said.

  Biyu pulled on the strap holding her book and tugged it into her lap. “I’ll be there taking notes.”

  I found nothing about the khepera when I searched the city, other than the few entrances to the Grotto Labyrinth, each guarded by soldiers. Most of New Norra had depictions of the scarabs in their decorations—even some of the bricks had carvings of the mystical creatures—but none of it indicated where they had gone. When I questioned the citizens, they grew irritated. If mystic seekers couldn’t find the khepera, what makes a random arcanist think he could solve the mystery? Their question lessened my confidence.

  Vethica, on the other hand, wouldn’t give up. She would go into town every day with a handmade map and a stack of notes. According to my father, she had personally mapped out all the entrances to the Grotto Labyrinth and had even snuck inside the underground maze to document the many passageways. But she still came back empty handed—no explanation on where the khepera might have gone.

  On the morning we were to sneak into the Grand Laboratories of New Norra, I spotted her leaving the Sun Chaser before dawn had fully settled. Again, she carried her materials, and she barely glanced in my direction as she made her way for the gangplank.

  I hustled over to her, determined to get answers.

  “Vethica, do you have a moment?”

  “No,” she said, curt.

  “I want to help you find the khepera.”

  Vethica continued to the gangplank, her eyes narrowed. “Don’t. You should stay as far away from the khepera as possible.”

  Her terse attitude prevented me from getting in another word before she left the airship. I just stood by the railing and watched her go.

  Adelgis, dressed in the same minimal clothing as before, hurried over to me. “Volke, it’s almost time to go.” He glanced in the same direction I stared. “Don’t worry about that. We can speak to her afterward.”

  “Do you know why she holds such animosity toward me?”

  “Oh, yes. She thinks about it all the time.”

  I glowered at Adelgis, waiting for him to explain.

  He must’ve heard my impatient thoughts, because he met my gaze, his dark eyes searching mine. “She was once plague-ridden,” Adelgis whispered. “Both her and her eldrin, a thunderbird. She was forced to kill it, and she hates that you haven’t done so already.”

  The information hit me hard. I knew she had once been an arcanist, but killing her own eldrin? I couldn’t even imagine. No wonder she hated me. She probably thought this whole situation unfair.

  My focus went straight to the shifting shadow around my feet.

  “I see,” I muttered, barely aware of anything else around me.

  If Luthair became plague-ridden, I didn’t think I would have the willpower to kill him. It would be my fault, though. I would have to take responsibility.

  The sound of boots up the airship stairway dragged me out of my spiraling thoughts of depression. I caught my breath the moment a figure emerged from below deck.

  Theasin Venrover.

  He crossed the deck of the airship, no hurry in his steps, his crisp, black trousers and silk shirt free of sweat or soil. Instead of wearing long robes with hoods to cover his head and face, he wore a dark cloak with a hood. The gloves on his hands were just as I had remembered—thin and hugging so close to his skin, they might as well have been tattoos.

  Damn. Adelgis and his father looked a lot alike, from their shiny, black hair to their tanned skin. Adelgis kept his hair long, though—a little past his shoulders—and his father kept his cut short, especially on the sides. Well, that and Theasin was more imposing. He had a confidence and athleticism that Adelgis lacked.

  I opened my mouth to say something, but Theasin sneered, stopping me cold.

  “What’re you waiting for?” he asked, his voice icy and condescending. “We don’t have time for your gawking.”

  With wide eyes, I turned to Adelgis. I wanted to ask if this were really Karna, but all I offered was a confused stare.

  Adelgis nodded. “This is Karna. I gave her some dream-memories of my father so she would know what he looked like, how he spoke, and what he liked to wear.”

  The Karna-Theasin scoffed. “Really? This needed an explanation? You were the one who concocted this plan. Or have you already forgotten?”

  I was still shocked at how well Karna had pulled off Theasin’s demeanor. I had seen her impersonate others before, and I had always managed to detect the differences between the person and her duplicate. Not this time. She was everything I remembered of Theasin—a perfect copy. Why was she so much better at imitating Theasin over Captain Devlin?

  “Uh, we should probably get to the labs before the sun is fully in the sky,” I muttered.

  “Lead the way,” Karna-Theasin commanded.

  16

  The Grand Laboratories Of New Norra

  Walking through the streets of New Norra made me long for Thronehold. The trollies there were a wonderful convenience, and I swear the merciless sun that hung over the Amber Dunes wouldn’t set until it had evaporated every last drop of moisture in the city.

  We followed the golden yellow lines until a black line appeared on the brick roads. Instead of heading back to the massive library, we made our way west, along the Lion’s Tail River, far from the delta. The farther inland we got, the less crowded the streets became. Once we passed the center bazaar, the atmosphere became quiet and peaceful.

  To my fascination, I spotted two stone golems standing on separate street corners. They were gigantic—sandstone boulders made up their body, arms, legs, and bulging shoulders. Their heads were small rocks, and everything looked to be held together by an invisi
ble force of magic.

  Each golem’s arcanist stood next to them, though they were short in comparison, only half the height of the eleven-foot golems. The arcanists wore similar clothes, no doubt uniforms—black, flowing pants, black tunics, and copper armor over their chests and thighs. Their helmets shaded their heads, and scimitars were on full display, hanging from thick belts on their hips.

  “Those are members of the Watch Battalion,” Adelgis said telepathically as we walked by. “They’re employed by the governor of New Norra to maintain order and guard the city buildings.”

  The members of the Watch Battalion shot us harsh glowers, but they didn’t move from their posts.

  “I didn’t see any when we were at the library,” I muttered as I glanced over my shoulder to get another look at the stone golems.

  “They were there. Stone golems are capable of hiding in stone that matches their type.”

  I almost laughed. The entire city was basically made of sandstone. Did that mean the Watch Battalion was hiding everywhere in the city and I just hadn’t realized it?

  My thoughts drifted back to our surroundings. It seemed the longer we followed the black line, the wealthier the city became. The houses were mini-palaces, the people rode on slender horses with sorrel coats that glistened in the oppressive light, and there were actual plants around—grass, trees, and even a dozen flowers.

  I slowed down to get a better look at a couple of birch trees. Their white bark and eye-like knots were intriguing, but did they grow in the desert? I didn’t think so.

  Karna-Theasin stopped dead in his tracks and turned back to face me with a sneer. “Are you done?”

  I quickened my pace to reach Adelgis and his faux father. “Sorry. The scenery intrigued me.”