by Lisa Cassidy
Her target.
Raising her staff, Alyx took a deep breath and summoned her concussive magic. Her hands trembled and she gritted her teeth, forcing them to still. This had to be a clean shot. Nausea roiled in her stomach. She was about to release the burst when Dashan’s hand reached out to touch her arm, gently lowering it.
“Can you distract him so I can get closer?” he murmured.
Alyx nodded.
“Good. Be ready to use that magic of yours if this doesn’t work.”
Dashan moved away without another word, utterly silent as he passed through the undergrowth. He vanished from sight, and now anxiousness combined with her roiling gut to make her heart pound so hard she feared it was audible.
A very faint flicker of movement behind where the mage stood betrayed Dashan’s presence. Licking dry lips, Alyx touched her magic and then employed her telekinetic talent. Several pebbles lying on the ground near the mage rose into the air and then landed into the bushes directly before him, making a faint rustling noise.
The shadowy figure started, head turning towards the noise. In that moment of inattention, Dashan struck. Metal glinted as he crossed the intervening space in two strides and slid his knife into the mage’s back. Pink light flashed around the mage’s hands as he arched backwards, letting out a surprised gasp. Dashan’s knife had done its work though, and in the next instant the mage collapsed to the ground, dead.
Alyx ran into the clearing, realising as she did so that she could make out some of her surroundings.
The sun was coming up.
“Do you recognise him?” Dashan asked.
“No.” Alyx shook her head. “Can you cover me while I let Rothai know he’s dead?
“Sure.”
“Dawn, it’s me. Are you all right?”
“We’re fine, Alyx. You?” Weariness tinged Dawn’s voice, but she sounded unhurt.
“Can you let Rothai know that the mage is dead?”
“I will, but he’d guessed as much. Rodin and the Bluecoats came riding out of the darkness just now—they’re already overwhelming our attackers. The fight will be over soon.”
Relief swamped Alyx. “That is good news. Dash and I will head back. See you in a few minutes.”
“Be careful. There could be stragglers out there.”
Alyx opened her eyes to see Dashan rifling through the dead mage’s pockets. The mage’s staff rested up against the nearby tree. A bitter expression crossed Dashan’s face when he caught Alyx looking, and he gestured towards the mage’s face. In the growing light of early morning, the dead man’s features were clearly Shiven.
She nodded acknowledgement of what he was showing her. “Find anything?”
“Not a thing.” Dashan stood. “Clever. He didn’t want to be identified if he was caught.”
“Rodin and the Bluecoats are mopping up as we speak. Dawn says the fight is over.”
“We got lucky. If you hadn’t had that nightmare and they’d attacked while we were all sleeping...”
“I know.”
“Come on.” Dashan crossed to her. “Let’s get back.”
“Just give me a second.” As the adrenalin departed her body, a lethargic weakness replaced it. Alyx found her legs suddenly unsteady, and abruptly she sat on a nearby rotting log.
“Alyx, you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She managed a smile of reassurance. “All the magic use... it was a lot, that’s all.”
“You sure?” He sat beside her, eyes dark with concern. “Should I run and get Finn?”
“All I need is a moment to sit, and I’ll be fine.”
“Magic doesn’t come without its consequences, huh?”
She shrugged. “No more than any kind of fighting does. It uses energy.”
“I suppose. I’m not carrying you back though, mage-girl.”
She chuckled, then sobered. “Dash, thank you.”
“What for now?” He raised an eyebrow.
“You saved me from having to kill someone by doing it for me.”
“It’s what I’m trained for,” he said. “Better me doing it.”
“You hate killing as much as I do.” She met his eyes. “Don’t pretend with me.”
Dashan glanced away for a moment, and when he looked back up at her his eyes were dark. “I’d do anything for you, Alyx. Anything. And that’s the truth of why I came back to DarkSkull.”
She let out a breath. “I think a part of me already knew that.”
“That doesn’t mean—”
“Alyx!”
At the sound of Tarrick’s voice, Alyx turned away from Dashan and leapt to her feet. Dizziness swamped her and she swayed, forcing Dashan to reach out and grab her.
“Over here!” he called when Tarrick shouted again.
The man himself appeared a few moments later. “You’re okay?”
“Sorry,” Alyx apologised. “I got a little woozy after all the magic use and had to sit down for a moment.”
He frowned. “We’d better get back. Rothai wants us out of here as soon as possible.”
“We’re right behind you.”
Chapter 35
In the aftermath of the attack, the focus was on getting out of the area as soon as possible and reaching DarkSkull safely, yet none of them failed to realise the audacity of the Shiven attack, nor how well-planned it had been to take advantage of the masters’ annual trip to Carhall. A thick cloud of tension hovered over the convoy as a result.
There was little time to discuss what had happened, with Rothai maintaining a heavy mage guard and only allowing them to sleep in short snatches. Alyx didn’t catch the warrior mage sleeping once.
The four-day journey passed in a haze of weariness and heightened attention, all of them prepared for another attack at any moment. Most of the first day was gone before Alyx’s lethargy passed and she could access her magic again. No further attacks eventuated, however, and many of them visibly sagged in relief as the gates of DarkSkull appeared.
Rothai dismissed Rodin, Dashan and the Bluecoats once they reached the main hall and all three masters had disembarked and gone inside. Rodin hesitated, sharing a glance with Dashan, but Rothai cut him off before he could speak.
“Now, Captain Rodin. Commander Helson will no doubt be expecting you.”
“Sir.” Rodin made a sharp gesture to his men, and they set heels to their mounts before galloping away. The Bluecoats rode with them, departing without a farewell. Dashan’s refusal to even look at her stung, but any hurt Alyx felt was pushed to the back of her mind when she turned back to see the look on Rothai’s face.
“We will hold a debriefing session to discuss the attack and its outcome tomorrow, but in the meantime, I’m suspending your patrol indefinitely.”
“Sir?” Tarrick stepped forward. “On what basis?”
“For deliberately ignoring my orders during the fight. I won’t have a patrol I can’t trust operating in DarkSkull’s defence.”
“Sir, we were being overwhelmed.” Alyx frowned. “If I hadn’t gone—”
“I ordered you to stay with the masters, you and Mika both,” Rothai’s voice was ice-cold. “They were our priority, not the militia soldiers.”
“We needed those soldiers to help defend the masters,” she argued. “By taking out that mage, I—”
“I don’t care what you thought,” Rothai snapped, stepping up to her in a single, graceful movement. “If you can’t follow orders, Apprentice, you don’t deserve to be a mage.”
“I don’t deserve to be a mage because I prioritised human soldiers over a precious mage master. That’s what you’re really saying, isn’t it?” Alyx wasn’t going to back down to Rothai, not anymore. Not after what she’d learned. Her anger burned hot and powerful.
“Alyx!” Tarrick barked, a warning hand coming to rest on her arm. She shook him off, eyes fixed on Rothai’s.
“You are coming dangerously close to expulsion, Apprentice Egalion.”
“Really?” she challeng
ed him. “You and the masters are going to expel one of your precious mages of the higher order? I don’t think so. If you haven’t expelled that psychopathic monster Galien yet, you certainly aren’t going to expel me.”
A horrified silence thickened around Alyx and Rothai. She was pushing it, but didn’t care. She’d had enough of being treated like a piece of dirt under the mage masters’ shoes.
“Galien is loyal, Apprentice.” Rothai’s voice had dropped, barely audible, but it struck chills through Alyx despite her anger. “A nuance you don’t seem to understand. The masters have no use for rogue mages, particularly powerful ones.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a warning. One you would do well to heed.” He stepped abruptly away. “You’re suspended until the festival, at which time I’ll consider whether to reinstate you. I suggest you all use the time to practice. We had selected Second Patrol to combat First Patrol in the festival exhibition match this year, but I’ve changed my mind. I think you could all learn a lesson in humility, so you will face off against Galien and First Patrol.”
He walked away without another word.
“Tarrick, before you and Alyx start ripping into each other, take a deep breath.” Dawn stepped between them. “We’ve had an extremely difficult couple of weeks and we’re all exhausted.”
Tarrick let out a breath, nodded acknowledgement of that. “I really thought we’d seen the last of the high and mighty Lady Egalion.”
Finn chuckled, and the tension broke slightly.
“I can’t respect him anymore. I can’t respect them,” Alyx admitted. “And as much as I’ve tried hard to change, and to fit in here, a part of me is always going to be the high and mighty Lady Egalion. I won’t accept being talked to like a recalcitrant child from him, not after all we’ve done.”
“That’s what you don’t seem to understand. He can treat us like that because he’s a trained and experienced warrior mage, and we’re students,” Tarrick said.
“He’s a murderer, Tarrick!”
“As far as I’m concerned this is good news,” Cario broke in before Tarrick could retort. “No patrol training for at least two weeks.”
“Think again.” Tarrick scowled. “We need extra practice if Rothai is putting us in that exhibition match.”
Cario chuckled. “If you think we’ve got any chance against Galien’s group, especially now with all of you at each other’s throats, you’re more delusional than I thought.”
Nobody had anything to say to that uncomfortable truth. Still chuckling, Cario turned and crossed over to his horse. “I’ll see you all later.”
“It’s nearly dinner,” Finn said eventually. “We should get the horses unsaddled so we don’t miss out on food.”
“I have to go out to Weeping Stead,” Alyx said. “I promise I’ll explain later, but I need to get something to Dash.”
“Fine.” Tarrick turned away, Finn falling in behind him.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Dawn asked.
“No, you look as exhausted as I feel.” Alyx smiled briefly. “Get something to eat and rest. I’ll see you later.”
“All right.”
Alyx looked over at Tarrick. He hadn’t even protested about her going on her own to Weeping Stead, let alone insist she take someone with her. He was more upset at her than she’d realised.
“Tarrick?” she called out.
He stopped and turned. “What is it, Alyx?”
“Training session tomorrow? If we eat quickly, we could probably fit one in before sparring class.”
He hesitated only a moment before accepting her olive branch. “Sounds good.”
Alyx left Tingo grazing while she ducked quickly upstairs to her room. It didn’t take long to dig out her parchment and ink and scrawl a few lines. Tucking the folded pieces into her pocket, she went back down and mounted Tingo.
The big horse was weary after their trip, so she let him travel the distance to Weeping Stead at his own pace. Night had fallen by the time they reached the town’s outskirts, the lights of the homes and inns lighting the area up for miles around.
Approaching the militia barracks, Alyx hoped Dashan hadn’t already left for Widow Falls, although it was unlikely. He would at least need to rest his horse overnight, not to mention come up with a way to explain his absence to Rodin and Helson.
“He left a little while ago, Apprentice,” the militia guard at the barracks gate told her. “I think he was joining some of the lads at the Fox.”
The Fox was a favourite amongst the militia and Alyx knew where it was, so she thanked the guard and turned Tingo back into town. The windows of the inn blazed with light, and the sound of talking and laughter spilled out its open front doors into the street.
She dropped Tingo’s reins over one of the posts out front and climbed wearily up the boarded steps and inside. The place was packed, entering its busiest time of night. She couldn’t see Dashan or any others she recognised at the front of the room, so pushed further inside, weaving around the press of bodies.
They were at the back of the room, a large group of soldiers playing cards and drinking. Alyx stopped dead at the sight of Dashan, sprawled back in a chair, one foot up on the table, a young blonde woman in his lap, her mouth at his ear while he grinned.
The sharp flare of jealousy that swept through her took her completely by surprise, sending her emotions reeling. Of course, at that moment he decided to look up and see her. Swearing under her breath, she turned and fled. Her chest had tightened like it was in a vice, and she was horrified to realise there were tears in her eyes.
Stumbling back out the inn doors and down the steps, she went to Tingo, leaning against his warmth as she took deep breaths of the cool night air. What is wrong with me?
“Alyx!”
Dashan emerged from the inn, dragging his guard cloak over his shoulders, and strode over to her, boots rapping on the cobblestone. “Alyx, what’s wrong?”
“I wanted to give you this.” She dug in her pocket for the parchment. “It’s for Ladan. I was hoping to catch you before you left.”
“I’m leaving in the morning.” He took the letter. “I’ll make sure he gets it.”
“Thanks.” She gestured back towards the inn, desperately trying to keep her voice normal. “I’m sorry for interrupting.”
“You’re sorry for…” he began incredulously, then stopped and took a deep breath. “Why did you storm out like that?”
She said nothing, merely wrapping her arms around her chest as a shiver wracked her.
“Look at you, you’re freezing,” he murmured, taking off his cloak and coming forward to wrap it around her shoulders. It smelled like him, and she took a deep breath, inhaling its warmth and scent. “Are you all right?”
She let out a breath. “I’m tired, that’s all.”
When Alyx finally looked up at him, she saw his eyes regarding her with deep concern, and something else she couldn’t read.
“You going to be okay?” he asked softly.
“I don’t really have much of a choice.” She huffed out a breath, annoyed at herself. “And now I sound self-pitying. I will be okay. I’m more worried about you, traipsing through Shivasa just to warn my brother for me.”
“I’m a Bluecoat, and Ladan is a lord of Rionn. Warning him is my duty as much as it is anything else,” Dashan said. “So quit worrying about me. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“No problem.” She chuckled half-heartedly. “I’ll do my best.”
“Why did you run out of the inn like that?”
She shrugged. “I saw that I was interrupting, and I felt like an idiot disturbing you.”
“No.” He shook his head. “You looked upset.”
“It’s been a long few weeks,” she hedged. “Like I said, I’m tired.”
He looked down, nodding as if to himself, before raising his eyes to hers. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you looked jealous.”
His words were
too close for comfort and Alyx reacted as if poked. “Maybe I just don’t approve of you sleeping with every blonde serving wench who crosses your path,” she fired back.
“Why don’t you approve?” he demanded, coming closer again. “What does it matter to you who I sleep with?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Then why don’t you approve?” he almost shouted.
“I…”
“Dammit, Alyx,” he said, voice aching with tenderness.
Before Alyx could respond, or even move, he’d bent down and kissed her. His lips were warm on hers, two strong hands coming up to frame her face. For the briefest of moments, she felt heaven. She closed her eyes and sank into his chest, one hand tentatively resting against his heart.
Then rational thought kicked in and she realised what was happening. It took almost everything she had to pull away from him and take several steps back. “Dash, no.”
He merely looked at her, his intense Shiven eyes alive with something that made her heart crash against her ribs. What was this between them?
“I didn’t...” she tried to find words, failed. “You kissed me.”
“I did,” he said steadily. “And you were jealous.”
She wasn’t going to deny it. “This isn’t... Dashan, I’m really confused right now. With everything that’s happened, I haven’t had a chance to process anything yet. I don’t want to make a mistake with you because you don’t deserve that.”
He smiled slightly. “Thank you for your honesty, mage-girl.”
She nodded. “I should go.”
“I know.” He shifted closer to her, close enough to kiss her again. Forcing herself to meet his eyes, she acknowledged consciously for the first time the powerful pull between them. How had this happened? “I’ll see you in a few weeks. Good night, Alyx.”
“Stay safe, Dash.”
He smiled sadly, then turned and walked back inside the inn. Alyx watched him go, kept watching long after his tall frame disappeared. It was only when she went to return to Tingo that she realised she still wore Dashan’s cloak. She inhaled its scent one more time, before taking it off and leaving it inside the inn doorway.