by Lisa Cassidy
“Because I don’t condone murdering them out of hand?”
“Because you took one as a lover.”
She froze. “He wasn’t my lover.”
“A mere technicality. It was inevitable. Fortunately for all of us, we removed that threat.” He waved a hand. “That was years ago, and the past is the past.”
Alyx looked away, wrestling viciously with her emotions until she had them under control. If she’d had access to her magic in that moment, she wasn’t entirely sure she wouldn’t have used it to kill Duneskal where he stood. “Why did you bring me here?”
“Look out there.” He pointed. “See the camps, the soldiers? Shiven, all of them, and within miles of Carhall.”
She stepped up to the parapet, staring out over the flat plains surrounding the city. Just over a mile to the south there was thick forest, but otherwise it was all open grass. Her heart thudded against her ribs in shock to see the encamped army filling the plains, just far enough distant to be out of the range of longbows or catapults. It was difficult to count the number of tents at such a distance, but there were at least several thousand.
“How did they get through Tregaya so quickly?” she asked.
“Mages.” Duneskal pointed towards one grouping of tents right at the edge of Alyx’s vision. “If it weren’t for our own mages, that army would have been here weeks ago.”
Alyx sucked in a breath. So many! She frowned as she stared at the distant tents, asking questions while she stalled for time to think. “If that’s the case…why haven’t they sent their mages against Rionn?”
“A good question.”
“They want you,” she murmured, feeling a stab of satisfaction despite the dire situation they were in. Finn had been right. “He wants you.”
Duneskal nodded. “We’ve come to that view also.”
“Why?” She rounded on him. “Why does he want to destroy the Mage Council so badly? Leaving Rionn undefeated behind him is a tactical error, and he doesn’t make those.”
“He’s a madman.” Duneskal shrugged. His words were casual, too casual. Once again he was lying to her. “I apologise for the manner in which you were brought here, but we gave you the chance to work with us and you refused. You left us no choice but to force your cooperation.”
“You want me to save your city?” she asked.
“Carhall has never been breached. We simply need your assistance to help fight back the Shiven-trained mages.”
“You have a mage of the higher order already. Why do you need me?”
“There are too many for Galien alone to defeat.” Duneskal smiled.
“Where are your mages?”
“They’ve been deployed attacking the Shiven army as it progressed north and trying to limit the effect of the Shiven mages.”
Alyx stared at him in shock. “You haven’t recalled them into the city?”
“The Shiven progressed more quickly than we’d hoped.” Duneskal looked slightly discomfited. “We lost our communication lines before we could recall them. Galien has contacted those still alive telepathically, but it’s almost impossible for them to get back inside the city. We barely managed getting you in here. The militia are working on it.”
“How many warrior mages do you have in here?”
“Just our personal guard. Maybe ten mages.”
She let out a long breath. The council had severely miscalculated. No wonder they’d resorted to kidnapping her. “You need to start evacuating the city, Councillor Duneskal.”
“Carhall isn’t going to fall. Especially not if you agree to help us.”
Swallowing, Alyx turned to survey the view from the walls. There were Shiven everywhere, camps only a mile or two from the city walls. “If those Shiven take this city, hundreds of the people living here will die. Militia will die. Do you want that on your conscience?”
“The city has never fallen, and it won’t under our watch.”
“I can’t stop that,” she said quietly. “There are too many. I suggest you start evacuating the city, save as many people as you can. Where is the king?”
“Taken north for his own safety. He left with his family a week ago.”
At least there is that. “I can’t stop what’s out there, Duneskal. They will breach these walls,” she said firmly.
“A disappointing attitude,” Duneskal said. “Perhaps some time to think about it might change your mind. Galien?”
The mage reappeared at the top of the steps.
“Alyx needs some time to think. Please take her back to the cells.”
She tried reasoning with Galien as they rode back through the city streets towards Centre Square. “Surely you can see the reality?” she asked him. “We both attended Master Renwick’s strategy classes.”
“The council knows what they’re doing.”
“Are you sure about that? They need to start evacuating this city before that army out there surrounds us completely.”
“It is of little matter if they surround the city,” Galien said. “They won’t be able to breach the walls, not with a mage of the higher order defending them.”
“Do you truly believe you can face down so many mages, not to mention an entire army, and win?”
“I do as I’m ordered,” Galien said coolly. “I suggest you do the same.”
“You’re even more of a fool than I thought you were.”
Nothing but silence greeted her words. Alyx looked out the window, watching the life of Carhall happening on the streets outside.
She wondered if they knew what was coming.
Chapter 25
Once back in her cell, Alyx paced its small confines restlessly. Duneskal’s display had shaken her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind in favour of more practical thoughts—namely the likelihood of a rescue.
Ladan would be frantically trying to figure out what had happened to her, as would Tarrick and her mages. Guilt curdled in her stomach at the knowledge Ladan and Dawn’s happiness had been marred so quickly.
Adahn and Astor had known she was going to meet with Brynn. But even armed with that information, Alyx wasn’t confident they would work it out. They wouldn’t necessarily tie Alyx’s meeting with Brynn together with her abduction. And even if they did, it was likely they’d assume Shakar had taken her, and if that happened, none of them would know where to even start looking for her.
No, she was going to have to get herself out of this mess. Galien was the main obstacle to escape. If she could overcome him, she would have no trouble with any other mages in the city—especially if Duneskal had been telling the truth and there were only ten warrior mages inside the walls. Of course, if she managed to escape the cells, then she would have to get out of the city, sneak through—or fly over—the surrounding Shiven army, and get back to Rionn alone.
Leaving Carhall to its fate in the process.
Guilt niggled at her, but Alyx pushed it away. She hadn’t been lying to Duneskal; she couldn’t stop an entire army even if she wanted to. And even if she agreed to work with Galien, he’d never do it. Her thoughts raced around her head, too fast.
One step at a time.
The first step being her cell. Magically protected as it was, she couldn’t blast her way out. The guards that delivered her food were careful not to open the doors. Maybe she could try talking to one, tell him who she was, bribe him in some way to let her out.
Her busy thoughts were interrupted when the door down the hall opened again. Stepping back from the bars, she braced herself for Galien. He appeared at the doors, the two guards behind him carrying something.
“You remember our deal?” he asked mildly.
She nodded once, sharply.
Chuckling at her forced compliance, he unlocked the door. The guards carried in an unconscious body and dumped it on the floor. Her attention was firmly on Galien in case he attempted anything, and so she didn’t realise it was Brynn they’d carried in until the cell door was closed and Galien was walking away.
He lay prone where they’d dropped him, his clothes torn and dirty. She scrambled over and used her magic to help gently lift him and place him on the pallet.
“Brynn?” she asked, brushing dirty blonde hair from his eyes. There was a nasty gash on his forehead, blood clotted around it. His skin was deathly pale. He murmured and shifted slightly at her touch.
She laid a hand on his throat and used what little healing magic she had to try and help him. Despite years of working side by side with Finn, she’d only ever absorbed a fraction of his powerful healing talent—really all she could do was provide energy.
Brynn murmured again but after a while seemed to relax and fall into a more peaceful sleep. She sat back and watched him, worry and fear rising up in her like a vice. She hadn’t felt this in a long time, not since…she clamped down on the emotion.
Brynn was her friend, she loved him, and he was going to be fine.
But at the same time, the anger inside her, her hatred of the council, burned even stronger.
It was dark when he finally woke, mumbling her name and opening his eyes.
“Brynn?” Alyx scrambled over to him. “How do you feel?”
“Alyx?” he murmured, blinking. “I feel terrible.”
“You’ve got a head injury. I’m worried your skull might have been fractured. You really need to see a healer.”
“I’m glad you’re okay.” He tried for a smile. “I thought they might have killed you.”
“Did they torture you?” she asked softly.
“They questioned me.” He smiled faintly.
“Why? What did they want to know?”
“There was someone there…I can’t remember…he made them stop, I think.” Brynn frowned again. “A mage–he took my memories.”
Alyx sat back. “I’m so sorry.”
“Not…your fault. I’m so tired.”
“Sleep.” She touched his forehead gently. “I’ll watch over you.”
“I really can’t remember anything.” It was the first thing he’d said in hours, and it broke the heavy silence that had fallen over the cell. Alyx had been half-dozing against the rough surface of the wall and jerked awake at Brynn’s words.
“You look a little better.” Some colour had returned to his skin, though he still looked gaunt and sickly.
“I feel a little less terrible than I did.” He frowned, touching his head. “How did I get here?”
“We’re in Carhall. We were kidnapped and brought here by the council. I don’t remember much, and if a mage took your memories, it’s unlikely you’ll ever get them back. Don’t tire yourself out trying to remember.”
Brynn winced. “Did I imagine seeing Galien?”
“No. He’s here.”
His eyes wandered around the cell. “Did Duneskal tell you why he’d chosen this particular time to kidnap you?”
“Carhall is under attack.” She told Brynn everything she’d seen and heard. “The council believes they can hold the city if I help Galien.”
“But you can’t?”
“I saw a glimpse of the Shiven army out there and he told me there are something like forty mages with the army. I can’t stop that alone. I’m not even confident I could do it with Galien, even if he agreed to work with me.”
“I think you’re selling yourself short,” he said softly.
She looked at him. “I may be powerful, but I can’t save this city. The best I can hope for is to escape, and then try and help from the outside. Perhaps we can find a way to help the Tregayans flee, or at least shield them while they do.”
“And the council can’t be convinced to evacuate the city?”
“I tried, but Duneskal wouldn’t listen. They haven’t even considered the fact that Shakar might be out there with that army.”
Brynn sighed and laid back down. “I’m glad you’re planning on running things better when the entirety of the mage order is under your control.”
“I’ll make sure of it,” she said quietly.
“I’m glad you plan to survive this.” A smile ghosted over his face.
Exasperated, she tried not to snap. “Brynn, I’m not miserable, you know. Not like Cayr seems to think anyway. I’m just so tired. I wish this could all be over so that I could stop and try to build some sort of life for myself.” Since going to DarkSkull, her life had been almost entirely dictated by the fact she was a mage of the higher order. It had restricted who she could love, what she could become. If she managed to destroy Shakar then maybe she could win herself freedom from that.
A brief silence fell between them. Brynn placed his head back down and closed his eyes. His voice, when he spoke, was so quiet that Alyx barely heard him.
“Being away from Sarah so often is a constant, unending struggle. It hurts. If she died, I can only imagine…”
Brynn’s soft snores soon filled the room as he drifted into sleep. Alyx sat with her knees against her chest, arms wrapped tightly around them, staring into the darkness and fighting to hold on to her shield of numbness.
“How long have we been here?” Brynn asked as they ate their most recent meagre offering of food. He was sitting up, and looked a lot better than he had. Alyx hoped he was through the worst.
“I was awake for about two days before Galien dumped you in here, but I have no clue how long I was out before that. Judging from the meals, I think it’s been almost another two days since then.” Hopefully the council had seen sense and was evacuating the city. From what she’d seen on the walls, the Shiven would encircle Carhall soon, if they hadn’t already.
Brynn nodded. “And why haven’t you just blasted your way out of here already?”
She explained about the shield over the door.
“Oh,” he said. “So how are we going to get out?”
“That’s where you come in.” She waggled her eyebrows at him.
He grinned. “I know that compared to most men, I am a giant of strength, but I don’t think even I could rip out those bars.”
“A giant of strength?” Alyx unsuccessfully hid her smile. “I think that ‘vertically challenged’ is a better description.”
His mouth dropped open. “Did you just call me short?”
“I absolutely did.”
He scowled at her. “How does this plan involve me?”
“You remember that Galien isn’t exactly a thinker?”
“I do.”
“He usually sends the guards with our food alone—he doesn’t come with them.”
“So, not a thinker, but a master of delegation?”
Now Alyx scowled. “I suggest that the next time a guard brings us food, you have a nice chat with him.”
Brynn’s smile widened as he caught on. “And perhaps ask him nicely to unlock the doors, with that useful mage talent I have?”
She shrugged. “It’s a thought.”
“And worth a try.” Brynn chuckled. “Do you think Tarrick and the others will be on their way?”
She sighed. “If they’ve found our trail. Counting travel time, it has to have been at least two weeks since we were taken.”
“But you’re not hopeful.”
“How would they have found our trail?”
Brynn shrugged. “I don’t think we should underestimate them. They often get overshadowed by you, but Tarrick is pushing Rothai for strongest warrior mage alive, Cario is a master diplomat, Dawn has enough faith for all of us combined and Finn can think so logically and rationally it’s scary. And that’s not accounting for your Taliath brother and father.”
Alyx looked over, smiled. “You’re right. I’ve been very lucky.”
“You’ve been very smart about who you’ve gathered around you.” Brynn snorted. “What do we do once we’re outside the cell?”
“Sneak out of the Town Hall. Sneak out of the city. Fly over the Shiven army and somehow try and find Tarrick and the others..”
“That’s your plan?” Brynn’s eyebrows shot skyward.
“Do you have a bette
r one?”
“No, but I’m going to work really hard on trying to come up with one, because flying with you always makes me seasick.”
“Plan away,” she said, reaching out to shove him playfully in the shoulder.
Chapter 26
It was a long time before anyone came again with food—longer than the previous intervals, Alyx was certain. Brynn had managed several hours more sleep before a guard appeared carrying a tray with two bowls and a small jug of water.
Brynn was waiting at the bars, smiling widely. “Hello.”
Even from the back corner of the cell, the sheer charisma of his magical voice washed over Alyx—he was using every inch of mage ability he had on the guard.
“Hello.” The man smiled, uncertainly, as if he really wanted to, but didn’t know why.
Brynn beamed back at him. “I could really use some fresh air. Do you think you could let me out for a walk?”
The guard hesitated. “Our orders are to make sure you stay in here.”
“Surely a few minutes of fresh air won’t hurt? I promise not to try and escape,” Brynn said, a cajoling note filling his voice.
The guard’s expression turned dazed. “I suppose it wouldn’t matter,” he muttered. “Just for a few minutes. It is pretty damp down here.”
“That would be wonderful. I’ll owe you one,” Brynn said.
“It’ll have to be quick.” The guard pulled some keys off his belt and stepped forward to unlock the door. It swung open with a screech, and Alyx didn’t hesitate. She leapt forward, slamming hard into the opening door and sending the poor guard stumbling backwards. Their tray of food clattered to the ground. Before he could reach for his sword she summoned her telekinetic power, ripping his sword belt from his waist and sending it flying up the corridor. It landed with a distant thump.
She used more magic to yank the dagger he wore at his belt and rap him smartly over the head with the hilt. His body crumpled to the floor.
“Heavy handed,” Brynn noted. “But effective.”