by Lisa Cassidy
An icy silence fell, Dashan’s expression hardening into real anger. “You’re pulling rank on me?”
A retort was ready on her lips, but Tarrick spoke up before it could leave her mouth. Clearly he’d decided it was time to step in.
“Dash, I’m concerned about Alyx’s protection as much as you are, but Dawn is with us,” Tarrick said. “Unless the territory we’re planning to cross is absolutely infested with Shiven warriors—doubtful, given how far east it is from the rest of the country—she will identify any patrol well before they see us. We should be able to get across and into Rionn without them ever knowing we were there.”
“And I think getting back to Alistriem sooner rather than later is a good idea,” Dawn added. “Even allowing for a stop at Widow Falls, we’d get there much faster than if we go by ship. Don’t you want to find out why we were so precipitously ordered home? What if something is wrong?”
Dashan levelled a stony look on Finn, who gave a sheepish shrug. “I agree with Alyx. Sorry.”
“Fine.” Dashan spoke through clenched teeth. “We’ll do it Alyx’s way.”
She sighed as he stalked away to pass on the news to the other Bluecoats— Dashan’s temper was never enjoyable to experience, and she was just as irritated with herself for failing to keep calm. Now she faced a long trip home with a moody Bluecoat who would make a point of continuing to test her patience. Not exactly what they needed while trying to safely cross Shiven territory.
“At least you tried being patient with him,” Tarrick said dryly.
“For at least a whole minute,” Finn chimed in.
“You’re both hilarious,” she said. “I’m going to get something to eat.”
Alyx ruminated on Dawn’s words as she chewed on a piece of stale bread by the fire. They were two days out from DarkSkull, a mysterious summons from the Rionnan king via Lord-Mage Casovar resulting in Alyx, her fellow apprentice mages and her Bluecoat escort leaving weeks ahead of the official end of the study year. She hoped there was nothing seriously wrong. There’d been no indication of it in the note.
Inevitably her thoughts turned to her fight with Dashan. There was another complication she didn’t need. She’d been slow to realise the powerful attraction growing between them, but now it was impossible to ignore. And each time she thought of how he’d kissed her, how she’d wanted him to, a horrible surge of guilt followed.
Cayr. Her best friend since childhood. The man she loved. Planned to marry. Even though they were technically apart while she was away at DarkSkull, that hadn’t changed the fundamental understanding between them. They loved each other, always had and always would.
Finn wandered into her eyeline, snapping her from the never-ending circling of her thoughts. She offered a smile as he settled himself beside her. “Dawn says the east route is clear as far as her magic extends.”
“Not surprising.” Alyx nodded. “But we need to make sure she gets enough rest before we hit Shivasa.”
“I’ll keep a close eye on her.” He gave her a pointed look. “You need rest too.”
“I’m fine.”
Neither of them said it, but they were both thinking of the nightmare she’d had the night after leaving DarkSkull. It had been the worst so far, and had left them all uneasy about what it meant. The feeling that she’d forgotten something important continued to niggle at her... but each time she tried to remember, there was nothing there. The harder she tried, the vaguer her memory became—and the more her head ached. It was a familiar sensation.
“Do you think he took memories from you?” Finn seemed to pick up on her thoughts.
Alyx gave a sharp nod. The mere thought of it made her feel sick, and she silently begged Finn not to pursue it.
“Is that why you don’t seem overjoyed to be going home?” He smiled, changing the subject. “Not that I’m not grateful you haven’t mentioned Cayr’s name a thousand times in the past few days.”
She chuckled, but it rang hollow. “It’s hard to be excited about going home after everything we learned this year, knowing Taliath are being hunted and wondering why a dark mage is haunting my nightmares.” And Brynn. What would happen to him? As angry as she still was about his role in hunting Taliath potentials, she counted him amongst her dearest friends. She’d managed only a quick letter—left in the hands of Rodin to deliver—as they passed through Weeping Stead, but wasn’t confident it would reach him anytime soon, especially if he was away on council business.
Finn hesitated. “It’s not just that, is it? Alyx, the fight between you and Dashan before, it felt like it was more than just about which way to travel home. And you’ve both been maudlin ever since.”
“Dashan is mad because he hates it when anyone tells him what to do, especially me,” she said sharply.
He lifted an eyebrow. “All that may be true, but are you forgetting what I stumbled into at the dance?”
“I’ve told you that was nothing but a moment of confusion. And even if it were different, it’s none of your business!” He’d poked at a sore spot, and she reacted without thinking in an attempt to shut him down.
Finn’s mouth tightened. “Dashan isn’t the only one who hates it when you talk down to people like the high and mighty noble girl you used to be.”
“Finn—”
But he was already gone, having risen to his feet and walked away. Alyx tossed the remains of her bread away in frustration. She’d apologise later.
Silence weighed over the group for the four-day journey down through Shivasa and into northern Rionn, and not just because of the potential danger around them. Dashan remained uncommunicative and distant, often assigning himself to patrol duty, and Finn’s annoyance with Alyx lingered in his cool words and lack of conversation. Tarrick went into his usual protector mode, focusing on nothing but ensuring they stayed clear of the Shiven, and while Dawn may have noticed the tension, the burden of keeping them safe lay with her magic, and she had no energy for anything but that.
Some of the tension left as they crossed safely into Rionn, as if a giant breath had been exhaled. That first night Alyx approached Finn with a peace offering while he stood sentry some distance from the fire—the chance at an intellectual conversation.
“Do you think Shakar turned dark because he became invulnerable?” It was a thought that had been weighing on her mind since the revelations in Carhall, as she tried to reason her way to an understanding of why the council was murdering innocents, or even some idea of why they were so afraid of a mage of the higher order absorbing invulnerability.
Immediately Finn’s eyes lit up, his lingering coolness towards her vanishing. “Not literally, I wouldn’t think. But power corrupts, and a mage of the higher order being invulnerable too? That is power at its most pure.”
“How?” She frowned.
“It gave him the ability to do whatever he wanted,” Finn said simply. “Who or what was going to stop him once he set his mind to it?”
“Isn’t that overly simplistic? We all have an innate sense of right and wrong—just because we can do something doesn’t mean we do. And from all accounts Shakar was a rational man.”
“But that’s just it, most people can talk themselves into anything if they think it’s for the right reasons. What wouldn’t you do, for example, to save your father? Or one of us? And there lies the problem... once you’d rationalised it to yourself, who could stop you?”
Alyx bit her lip, mulling that over. It made a certain chilling sense. She’d killed a man last year—something she’d never ever thought she would do—to protect Tarrick. What wouldn’t she be willing to do, if presented with the same situation again? At least now, if she went too far, there were those who could stop her.
Finn’s warm hand landed on her shoulder, and his cheerful smile dispelled some of the darkness of her thoughts. “Just don’t go taking any Taliath lovers and we’ll all be fine.”
She tried to smile for him, but couldn’t. “Killing Taliath potentials can’t be th
e answer, Finn.”
He sighed. “I think if the council had been able to come up with a better one, they wouldn’t be doing what they are.”
“They could kill their own,” she murmured, mostly to herself. But no, the council was far too wrapped up in the importance and power of mage blood. They’d probably never even thought of the fact that killing a handful of mages of the higher order would mean a lot less death than killing every Taliath potential they could hunt down.
“The council might argue that trying to kill a mage of the higher order with multiple magical abilities could result in more deaths and attention than killing an untrained young Taliath potential.” Finn seemed to have heard her anyway. “Council aside, someone is taking out the most powerful mages anyway. You, Casovar and Galien are the only mages of the higher order remaining, and next time Tarrick gets overly protective, you might remember that until we go back to DarkSkull, you’re away from the protection of the council, and cut him some slack.”
Fear trickled through her, and she tried to ignore it by turning her thoughts to Casovar—how had he stayed alive this long, especially since leaving the council? Was it just that he was in Rionn, away from the mage world, or was there something else?
Dashan remained stubbornly distant as he led them unerringly through the rugged terrain of Widow Falls to Ladan’s estate, and Alyx let him be. By the time they reached the gloomy fortress of Ladan’s home, she was utterly sick of the tension, and hoped seeing her brother would help her focus on something else.
She reined in as they exited thick forest, emerging onto the cleared ground around the walls to find the arched gates wide open. The Bluecoats looked around uneasily, probably remembering their previous visits. It couldn’t be easy for them riding in without their weapons—an order Alyx had chosen to allow Tarrick to convey to Dashan had resulted in all swords and knives being stored away in saddlebags.
“This is odd.” Finn was the first to say it out loud.
“Where are the fearsome warriors and hunting wolves?” Dawn added.
“He obviously knows we’re coming,” Dashan said tersely, looking at Alyx. “Is there any reason we’re sitting out here gaping like fools?”
Refusing to react to his tone, she kicked Tingo forward, leading the group through the open gates and into the circular cobblestoned yard beyond. Romney waited at the top of the steps, his sword sheathed at his waist. As she brought Tingo to a halt, the lord himself appeared from inside, boots rapping sharply on the stone. He came down the steps quickly, concern filling his voice. “Alyx, is everything okay?”
“We’re all fine,” she said quickly, smiling at the worry in Ladan’s green eyes as he stopped by Tingo. “We were ordered home to Alistriem early, and I wanted to pass through on the way. Is that all right?”
“It is.” His hard face softened slightly, and he reached up to touch her knee in greeting. Then he stepped away from Tingo, sharp gaze scanning those with her. Unbelievably, a tiny smile tugged at the corners of her brother’s mouth when he spotted Dashan. “Lieutenant. Romney’s scouts informed me your unit was escorting Alyx. Welcome back to Widow Falls.”
“Thank you, Lord Mirren. My boys and I won’t be a bother. Is it all right if I take them through to the barracks you provided us last time?”
“Please do.” Ladan nodded. “Aly-girl, bring your friends inside. Food has been made ready for you. Romney, make sure a meal is provided for the Blue Guard officers also.”
“My lord.” Romney bowed his head and strode down the steps, gesturing for the Bluecoats to follow him towards the barracks.
“I don’t believe it,” Alyx said in mock wonderment as she joined her brother and they walked inside, Tarrick and the twins trailing a wary distance behind. “You’ve made a friend.”
“What are you talking about?” he muttered.
“‘Welcome back to Widow Falls, Lieutenant’,” she echoed his words teasingly. “Ha! You’ve never welcomed me to your home.”
He scowled.
They gathered in Ladan’s private study after dinner, Romney joining them at Ladan’s insistence. “He’s my second, Alyx, and I trust him with my life.”
The grizzled warrior should have looked out of place with his fierce features and assorted weaponry, but he was a quiet, solid presence as he refused a seat and took up a position by the door.
Dashan had arrived with him, taking a seat on the couch furthest from Alyx. She sighed inwardly. Keeping her distance hadn’t worked. The tangle of emotion between her and Dashan would continue to rise to the surface if they didn’t deal with it one way or the other. She just wasn’t sure how.
“Why has the lord-mage summoned you home early?” Ladan’s voice drew Alyx back to the present. They’d deliberately not discussed anything important over dinner, with Ladan’s servants coming in and out serving food and wine.
“We were hoping you might be able to give us an idea,” she said. “Have you heard about anything happening in Rionn that would warrant the summons?”
Ladan shared a glance with Romney. “The disputed area has become almost an open battle zone in the months you’ve been away, particularly in the region around Port Rantarin. I’m not kept apprised of all the developments, but I’m aware the king walks a fine line. Rionn is in the weaker position, and if we complain too strongly about the Shiven forces’ behaviour, we risk sparking outright war.”
Finn frowned. “It sounds to me like that’s what the Shiven are hoping for. By behaving with increasing aggression in the disputed area, they may be trying to push Rionn into initiating a fight. That way they can’t be blamed for starting a war.”
“I believe the king sees that same danger,” Ladan said. “But if we don’t put up any resistance in the disputed area, Shivasa will see it as weakness and an invitation to come and take what they want.”
“Shivasa may want to avoid blame for starting a war, but that won’t hold them indefinitely, not if they’re truly intending invasion,” Dashan pointed out.
Ladan nodded. “But it will hold them a while. If they invade without cause, they know they’ll have the Mage Council to deal with, and likely Zandia and Tregaya too. King Mastaran has to be aware if Shivasa takes Rionn, they’ll look to his country next.”
“I don’t see how any of this explains Casovar summoning us home from DarkSkull early.” Dawn spoke into the ensuing silence. “Three second-year mage apprentices aren’t going to help with any of that. In fact, we’d be more use against the Shiven if we were left to finish our training.”
Agreement registered on all their faces. Disappointment joined the unease Alyx was already feeling—she’d been hoping Ladan might have some answers for them.
“Whatever it is, it seems we can rule out anything dire having happened,” Tarrick said, rising to his feet. “I’m exhausted and we really should get going as early as possible tomorrow.”
Exhausted, all Alyx wanted was to follow them as they drifted out the door, losing her troubles in the comfort of a warm bed for a few hours. But there was more she needed to discuss with Ladan. He was standing by the fire, his look pensive, and she wished she didn’t have to give him more difficult news.
He spoke suddenly. “Spit it out, Aly-girl.”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “About what I learned in Carhall. Learning that the council is hunting Taliath... it can’t have been easy news to hear.”
He made a sharp gesture. “I had suspicions, particularly after Master Howell’s warning. I do appreciate you and Dashan warning me as quickly as possible. It’s allowed me to take certain precautions.”
“You’re my brother. I worry about you.”
He smiled slightly. “It’s been a while since I’ve had anyone other than Romney worry about me.”
“There’s more you should hear.” She hesitated. “Finn and I think we’ve worked out why our mother really ran away with you and went into hiding. We don’t have proof, but it makes a lot of sense.”
Ladan resumed his
seat, waving her to the chair opposite. “Tell me.”
She explained as succinctly as possible; that their mother had found out—or at least suspected—the council was hunting Taliath, and had left to keep both Ladan and their father safe from the council. When Alyx had finished, the room fell silent while Ladan processed it all. His gaze had turned distant, the fingers of one hand curling against his leg. The crackle and pop of the fire filled the empty space and weariness tugged at Alyx’s bones. It had been a long day.
“She was so obsessed with staying hidden,” he murmured eventually. “After we left you and Papa, we never went to any big towns and the places we stayed before Widow Falls were remote. I remember that. She was a mage of the higher order, yet I never saw another mage apart from my stepfather.”
“I think she was deliberately keeping you out of the council’s sight,” Alyx said softly. “And herself, too.”
“If you’re right, then why did she write the letter to Romas before her death?” Ladan finally looked up, meeting her gaze. “Why would she go back to the council?”
“You said she left suddenly, in a rush,” Alyx said. “And the half-written letter in her study indicates she met with an old mage contact around the same time, a man named Terin. I think she found out something, either from Terin or elsewhere, that prompted the letter to Romas.”
“Something big or important enough to breach her self-imposed exile?” Ladan frowned, rising to his feet. “But she disappeared over ten years ago. If you’re right, then what could it have been?”
“The missing mages,” Alyx said. “It has to have been that. Someone or something has been causing the most powerful mages to disappear for years. Despite the full weight of the council’s resources being put into finding out what’s going on, they’ve found nothing. Whoever it is, they’re powerful, well-organised, and well-resourced.”
Bitter knowledge flashed over Ladan’s face as he looked at her. “Right. An organisation like that... who else would have the capability to kill a mage of the higher order who learned their secrets?”