A City in Ruin (The Dark Sorcerer Book 2)

by D. K. Holmberg

  “How would you describe it?”

  “I was there, Jayna.”

  “I know you were, but everybody who was there was somehow impacted. I still haven’t been able to tell how you were impacted, and whether there’s anything I can do to help you get past it.”

  “I still feel it sometimes,” Topher said, closing his eyes as he sat back. He gripped the wine glass in both hands, squeezing it tightly. He was a large enough man that she wondered if he might even shatter it, but he simply held it a moment before relaxing his grip, then opening his eyes. “I still sometimes feel that dwaring inside of my mind. It was there, almost as if it were trying to crawl through my mind, as if it wanted me to be aware of its presence. It was doing something.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what, but I could feel it moving around.”

  Jayna resisted the urge to shiver. The idea of some creature inside of her, feeding on her—on her magic—left her with a sense of unease, but it was more than that. It was fear.

  If Gabranth and his followers could command creatures like that, she still needed to be careful. He might be gone, but there were likely others who remained. Dark sorcerers who might still be interested in performing another festival to claim dark power and hurt others. She had dealt with other dark creatures, and many of them had been nearly impossible for her to fathom when she had been at the Academy, but ever since leaving the Academy, she had grown more accustomed to that darkness and those dark creatures—which only made her more aware of how dangerous they are.

  “I’m sorry you feel it sometimes,” she said.

  Maybe another glass of wine wouldn’t be such a bad idea. She filled her glass just a little bit and set it back down on the table. Topher took the bottle and emptied the rest into his glass.

  “I didn’t even know you before all this started. I feel like I needed to know you though. Had I not found you, I don’t know what would’ve happened,” Topher said.

  “We probably still would've gotten involved. I don't know if we would've saved you from the dwaring the first time, but we would've saved you eventually.”

  She didn't want him to fear what might've happened.

  “But I might've gotten hurt worse. Like Robert.”

  She nodded. “You might have. And maybe we would've failed without you. Then Asymorn would've been released, and he would've started trying to free Sarenoth.”

  He frowned. “Sarenoth?”

  “That’s who they follow. I don’t know anything about him, but I think he’s some sort of dark god.”

  “That sounds terrifying.”

  “No. What’s terrifying is that the Festival of Mourn was just the beginning. The Celebrants of Asymorn were just one part of it. And we somehow have to find a way to stop others.”

  “We?”

  She chuckled, shaking her head. “Fine. Me.”

  She sat back, twisting the dragon stone ring. She ran her finger along the surface of it. Most of the time, it felt smooth, warm, but for some reason, tonight there was a bit of texture to it, and a hint of a coolness to the ring itself. It was almost as if the ring were drawing power off of her.

  “You don’t have to stay with us, Topher. I think that’s really what I wanted you to know. I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I don’t know how dangerous it’s going to be, but the longer you stay with us, the more likely you’re going to be exposed to things you just aren’t equipped to handle.”

  “I can help,” Topher said.

  She didn’t think he could, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. She didn’t necessarily want his help. And she certainly didn’t want to have to worry about him, didn’t want to have to fear he might be injured in some way, but she did appreciate having more people around her who understood what was happening.

  “I’m sure you can.” She forced a smile. “Which is why you need to keep working with the dular. Figure out whether you can regain any of your ability.” Even if he could, she didn’t know whether anything within his ability would be of much use to her. His particular form of enchantment was unique, and while she had no idea how effective it might be, perhaps there was some value in having him try.

  “I will. And I’m going to find some way of helping Eva. She doesn’t know it yet, but she does need help.”

  Jayna finished her wine, setting the glass down on the center of the table. “That’s just it. I think Eva does know she needs help. The problem is she doesn’t necessarily want it.”

  “Why wouldn’t she want help?”

  “I think in her mind, there some things she would rather forget.” She got up. “It’s time for me to get some sleep.”

  “I’ll do the same soon. I think . . . I think I’ll keep an eye on her for just a little bit longer.”

  “You shouldn’t stay awake too long. She’s passed out in the chair again, so I don't think she's moving until morning.”

  “I know. I’ve been around her enough times now.”

  “Then you should get some rest.”

  She took the empty bottle of wine, set it on the counter, and headed back into her room. A little bit of the night air pressed into the gaps in the stone. Jayna traced a small sealing pattern along the stone in front of the wall, and then activated it with a bit of sorcery. She could feel it pressing up and out, and even though the sorcery was there, she still didn’t feel like the wall was intact enough to protect her. It seemed it wouldn’t take much more than a slight shove to send the stones careening down back into her room, putting her at risk again.

  She sat down on the bed, staring at the wall.

  Somebody had attacked.

  They had come for Rosal, not for her, and they had come for the stones.

  She fished the stone out of her pocket, holding it in the palm of her hand. There was something unique about it. There was no doubt about that.

  Whomever Rosal had stolen from had to be more than just a merchant. They might've had the stones, but there was no way any merchant would have sold to someone like Rosal if they knew what they had. They would've wanted to sell to someone with money.

  Unless they knew it was going to end up with his father.

  She just didn't know enough.

  She didn’t know what she needed quite yet.

  But she was determined to find those answers.

  She gripped the stone, lying down, and quickly fell asleep.

  As she slept, dreams drifted into her mind—dreams of her parents, her brother, even the Academy. Those were the happiest, and she wanted to linger within them, especially as she walked through the halls of the Academy with Char again, feeling almost as if she were really there, but there came a feeling of darkness that pressed upon her as she walked, a sense of energy attempting to constrict her, as if the Academy itself had shifted, somehow becoming darker than it had been when she was there before. She tried to work her way out of that dream, realizing something was off, but even as she did, she could feel it continuing to press in, squeezing around her, and there was no escape.

  She woke in a cold sweat.

  Why would she dream about the Academy and darkness?

  Maybe because she had learned about darkness in the Academy. Maybe because she had learned about what happened to her parents, learned there were dark sorcerers in the world, dark energy, all of it working for its own purposes.

  Or maybe it was because she now carried the Toral ring, and anytime she touched upon energy, even her own sorcery, she was reminded of that dark power and how it pressed in upon her, as if it wanted to draw on her, to force her to serve, and to find some way to take her down a path she was determined to avoid.

  She was still holding on to the stone. After a while, she stuffed it into her pocket, lying back down. She stared at the ceiling for a long time before she finally fell asleep. Thankfully, dreams didn’t plague her this time.

  14

  The inside of her bedroom felt different. Jayna sat up with a start, her head pounding, some part of her aching, and it took a moment for h
er to realize just what it was—not her arms or legs, but pain pulsing in her back, and the Toral ring throbbing on her finger.

  It was a different sort of squeezing and constricting than what she was accustomed to. Typically when Ceran wanted to get a hold of her, he would send a steady vibration through the ring until she responded. But this time, it was just a squeeze and then a release, with nothing else that followed it. She focused on that sensation and tried to push against it, but it didn’t feel quite right.

  It just squeezed.

  At first, she feared it was because of some dark sorcerer nearby. She had only encountered dark sorcerers once, and had barely survived that, but that didn't seem to be the cause.

  Then some creature?

  No. It was different from what she felt when she encountered dark creatures.

  She hesitated a moment, then got to her feet and started looking around the room.

  Had something happened in her dreams that activated the Toral ring?

  She didn’t know. She twisted her finger, tempted to take it off, but didn’t like the idea of leaving it behind, especially if she might need that power in the upcoming days. Given everything she’d been through in the city and everything she feared she would still have to deal with, taking the Toral ring off was only going to weaken her. She needed strength, regardless of how much darkness the ring might be responsible for.

  She got dressed and changed her clothes, but was careful to keep her cloak and the contents of its pockets intact. When she headed out into the main room, she found Eva still sitting in the chair. She was awake now, which she figured was a benefit. The wine glass had been set upright, and thankfully had not been refilled.

  “You’re awake,” Jayna said.

  “I’d say the same thing about you,” Eva replied.

  “Where’s Topher?”

  “In my room. Apparently he decided to break into my private stash and—”

  “He didn’t do it. I did.”

  Eva turned, looking at her, holding her gaze. The flames in the hearth reflected in her eyes, and she stared at Jayna for a moment. “You did it?”

  “I needed a glass of wine after everything we’d been through yesterday, and I figured you wouldn’t mind if I borrowed one of your bottles.”

  “If you’re going to take one of my bottles of wine, then at least share it with me.”

  Jayna chuckled. “I would have if you hadn’t fallen asleep so soon.”

  Eva looked away, turning her attention back to the hearth.

  Had Jayna struck a nerve? That wasn't her intent.

  “I’m going to need your help today,” Jayna said.

  “Why?” Eva asked.

  Jayna crossed over to her and took a seat in the other chair. She sank down into the gray fabric and looked over to Eva. A hint of redness ringed Eva’s eyes again, and there was a bit of darkness there, something sleep hadn’t shaken from her. “I need you to find out anything you can about this.” She pulled the stone out of her pocket and held it out.

  Eva leaned forward, frowning as she regarded the stone. “What is that?”

  “This is what Rosal has been using to create his enchantments. Apparently, he stole it off of some merchants—or someone who had it—as a way of impressing his father. I was surprised to learn his father is an incredibly wealthy dular. Apparently, Rosal feels the need to try to impress him, using the kind of magic within the stone to do so. Now it seems the same people he stole from are after him. And they don't seem to care whom they hurt.”

  “What do you mean the ‘magic within the stone’?”

  “There’s something within the stone. I don’t really know what it is, but I feel something when I hold it.”

  Eva started to take it, but shook her head and leaned back. “I’ll look and see what I can find.”

  “Good. I have something I’m going to do.”

  “What is that?”

  “I’m going to have Rosal find out what his father knows. Either that, or just break into his father’s home.”

  Eva arched a brow. “Taking after your brother now, are you?”

  “Well, not so much. This is something he would’ve been much better equipped to do than me.”

  There weren’t too many times when she wished she had her brother’s talents, but in this case, having Jonathan’s skill set would have made the job so much easier. She could imagine Jonathan planning, plotting, and coming up with some easy way to sneak into Rosal’s father’s home. He would probably drop down from the rooftop, climb into some upper-level window, and sneak along the halls until he found what he wanted. More likely than not, her brother would’ve already had a plan in place.

  Jayna stuck the stone back into her pocket. “All of this is tied together, somehow.”

  “You really think some merchants are responsible for targeting the house?”

  “Not entirely. That doesn't fit. Merchants would want to sell these stones, and it seems like whoever is out there is coming after them.” She sat up. Could that be it? “What if the merchants were supposed to provide these stones to someone else who is now angry that Rosal took them?”

  That might make more sense.

  Her mind tried to chew through possibilities, but she kept running into barriers.

  She leaned back, turning to face the hearth. It amazed her how well Eva managed to keep the fire crackling even throughout the night. Maybe she woke up periodically to stoke it, throw more logs on it, but when Jayna had been awake, she’d never seen her doing it. Even last night, when Eva had been passed out in the chair, she hadn’t seen her come around to put any more logs in the fire. Yet the fire had blazed brightly the entire time she’d been sitting there with Topher.

  “Will you take Topher with you when you go searching for information today?” Jayna asked.

  “He won’t want to come with me.”

  Jayna smiled slightly. “I think you might be surprised.”

  “He shouldn’t come with me,” she said.

  “Should or shouldn’t, but I think he needs the distraction.” So did Eva, but Jayna wasn’t about to tell her that.

  “Fine. I’ll take him with me if that will make you happier.”

  “Very much so,” Jayna said with a chuckle.

  It might be better for them to be together, anyway. Otherwise, Topher might go looking for more information on Eva and uncover it. Jayna wanted to know more about Eva, but wanted to find out that information carefully. She wasn't a dragon like Topher thought, but Jayna did remain curious about the kind of magic Eva possessed.

  She got to her feet and headed to the kitchen, where she grabbed some bread and cheese to have a quick bite before heading out. She breathed in the humid air, trying to settle herself.

  She didn’t know what it was going to take for her to break into Rosal’s father’s home, or whether it would even be necessary. Maybe she could just go with Rosal to navigate through the home, but at the same time, she started to wonder if perhaps his father might be hiding something.

  Somebody like that, somebody with wealth, who had managed to stay in power as long as Rosal’s father had, would almost certainly have secrets.

  She wandered through the streets. It was early morning: The sun was shining, the humidity starting to rise, and there was a certain energy to the city itself. A vibrancy.

  She wandered toward the midnight market and looked at the remnants of the square in the daylight. The vendors had all removed the remains of their carts, and as Jayna walked through the plaza, she noticed sections of stone that had been burned; when she stepped upon them, they crumbled beneath her boots.

  What would happen if that kind of fire got out in the city? How much would burn if there wasn’t somebody there like Eva to contain it?

  She hoped Char would find answers in one of the spellbooks. If anybody could find something, it would be Char. They needed a strategy for stopping that kind of attack, and she feared that if they didn’t get the answer in time, there wouldn’t be a wa
y to control it.

  She made her way through the courtyard, then followed the streets, distantly aware of the faint sensation of Rosal through the linking spell, which was already starting to fade. Hopefully by the end of the day, it would fade altogether, though maybe she shouldn’t let it vanish completely until this was all done. She might need to reactivate it periodically to ensure Jayna had some way of following him, especially given his role in all of this.

  Heading toward the central part of the city in the daylight was a very different experience than at night. The buildings emanated an even greater sense of awe. The scenery quickly transitioned from the smaller-scale buildings to the larger, three-story ones, all of them towering over the streets. The walls surrounding the buildings looked even more imposing in the daylight, which Jayna found a bit surprising. She would’ve thought they would be more intimidating at night, with the shadows around them.

  Some of the mansions had trees growing in their courtyards, and some had the aroma of flowers drifting out, much like Rosal’s family home did. Other mansions had guards who patrolled directly in front of them, and Jayna found herself hurrying past those guards, wishing she had some sort of spell that might conceal her as she neared them.

  How was she supposed to get to Rosal if there were this many guards watching?

  She would somehow have to get past the wall. It wasn’t difficult to climb over; last night, she had used a bit of magic to propel herself upward, jumping to reach the top, then scrambling over. In the daylight, though, there would be no way of doing so without being seen. She would have to either go through the main entrance, or time her ascent exquisitely so she didn’t run the risk of anyone observing her. That was going to be challenging. Maybe even beyond her abilities.

  The other possibility—one she didn’t know would even work—involved somehow pulling upon the power through the linking spell, and using that to connect to Rosal and to draw him out of the garden shed.