“Dragon!” A high-pitched voice on an enemy galleon called before a blast of fire cut off the scream.
Then all hellafuck broke loose.
Twig emerged in dragon form, torching the enemy ship, then moving on to another, his roar piercing the air and sending a noticeable shiver of dread over the Patrol.
That’s my dragon.
My contingent of shell golems broke their formation and advanced on Commander Graves, Cora, and the surrounding officers. Cora stumbled back, but Graves called forth enough magic that the hair on my nape stood on end. She lashed out, a wave of power bowling over and busting apart several of the creatures.
I called on my own magic, letting it run along my bones and tissues, sparking vivid blue as I gathered strength. I sent a jet of fire around the edges of Graves, Cora, and the citadel guards, caging them inside what amounted to a ring of fire. Dragon fire. So much hotter than the ordinary variety. Cora gasped but tried to use a spell to douse the flames. They dimmed in front of her but only banked for a second before flaring back to full strength.
“Sorry, girlfriend, you’re way outmatched.” I smirked.
Commander Graves, on the other hand, smiled and thrust her hands into the air. I stumbled forward as water from the bay soaked me from head to toe and struck the barrier with a hiss. My fire wasn’t like other fires, though. As long as the water pelted it, it sizzled and tamped, but anywhere the water failed to touch, the fire instantly flared back to life.
Commander Graves wasn’t deterred. She continued to pull the water—fucking water mages—until there was enough of a gap for her to leap through.
As she barreled across the tamped flames, she drew her two swords, one in each hand, and swung at my head. Before I could blow her to pieces, Beckett’s sword countered Graves’ and threw her backward.
Graves seemed surprised, but only momentarily, before she came at Beckett with both blades. Beckett parried and then she swept Graves’ feet. The Commander wasn’t a poorly trained soldier, so she rolled as she went down, deflecting Beckett’s countering blow and ending back on her feet. They ran at each other, blades clashing. Each looking for an advantage. I needed a clear shot to take out Graves, but she and Beckett were practically wrapped around one another.
Then Cora shielded herself enough to break through the flames. Dammit.
“Quinn, stop this! See what your magic is doing? This isn’t you. You don’t hurt people. Please!” She held out a hand toward me, beseeching.
I laughed. “Are you serious right now? Hallewell destroyed my magic. This is Twig’s magic, now mine. Look around. Look what’s happening to your people. The townsfolk, not the Council.”
“You don’t understand—”
“I understand Hallewell’s not who you think she is.”
“I can help you.”
“How, Cora? Letting Hallewell break my wizard-familiar bond? Or maybe helping Le Torneau kidnap and torture my little brother?”
She flinched. “There’s no way she could have, and Le Torneau wasn’t supposed to do that. Hallewell’s promised me—”
“What? That she’d ‘talk’ to Le Torneau? That it wouldn’t happen again? Have you bothered to speak to the townsfolk? See how the mighty Council’s treated them? You used to be for the people.”
Cora shook her head. “Hallewell’s not like that. She’s got big plans.”
“Yeah, she wants me dead. Told me so, the moment you were out of earshot. She knows Le Torneau killed my family and Rei Vosen, and she doesn’t care.”
“No. She wouldn’t. She’s good. She loves me.”
I tried one more time. “She lies, Cora. She’s . . . I don’t know, but evil doesn’t feel like a strong enough word. She’s using you. Can’t you see that?”
“Please, Quinn, it doesn’t have to end this way.” She took a step closer, a tear spilling down her cheek.
“And it won’t.” My magical defenses went up a split second before she lobbed a stun spell my way. I appreciated that she didn’t want me dead, but her betrayal still struck deep. The spell collided with my shield and disintegrated.
I threw a stun spell as well, and she went sailing through the air, crashing into some City Patrol who thought they’d charge me while she kept me busy. They went down in a tangle of limbs. Beckett and Graves still fought on my other side, both taking damage as neither relented.
“Beckett, step back!”
Beckett sprang backward, doing a complicated series of flips. Okay, that girl had some serious moves. Before Graves could give chase, I pushed magic her way, wrapped it around her, surrounding her in a shimmery blue bubble. Trapped. She could perhaps use it as a battering ram, but she wasn’t going anywhere fast. I could thank the High Rei for that neat little trick.
“Commander Graves, you need to stop. I don’t wish to harm you.”
Her blades vanished back into their scabbards as quickly as they’d appeared. Her hands felt the barrier, and she tried to break through. The spell she used sent her sprawling. The shield moved with her, making her look like a genie in a bottle.
“You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Graves growled and tried another spell. Same result.
“Commander, your City Patrol is being struck down as we speak.”
Graves took one of her blades back out and stabbed at the bubble. The sword sliced through, but the hole sealed as quickly as it opened.
“You know something’s rotten in Islingwall. Think about it. High Rei Blodwin dies, and a young, seemingly inexperienced rei steps into the highest office in the land. And, dismisses you. Tell me you don’t think the two are related. Aren’t you tired of the Council of Divine Magic hurting the people you’ve sworn to protect?”
Graves cursed in frustration, tried another spell.
“Look around, Graves. The townsfolk have joined the pirates.”
That gave her pause. She took in the scene of the battle. The City Patrol fought on all fronts. Pirates and what remained of the shell golems, and townsfolk, too. Men and women with homemade weapons, the occasional sword, and lots of iron pots. The Patrol might be more experienced fighters than many townsfolk, but not the pirates. And we had righteous anger on our side.
“Call them off, and it all stops. This isn’t a fight you can win. I don’t want to hurt anyone else if we don’t have to. Surrender or watch them all perish. Your choice, Commander.”
Graves stared hard at the scene before us. With each moment she delayed, more Patrol fell and more townsfolk became injured. Her jaw firmed, the long scar standing out on her cheek. Finally she nodded.
“Your word?” I stepped close to the bubble.
“You have it. If I have yours. You’ll spare my people.”
Ballsy, considering she had no room for negotiation. Though I respected that she cared about those under her command.
“You have it.” I put my hand against the shield, and she did the same. The equivalent of a magic pinky swear. Our palms glowed a dull orange. Done.
I waved, and the bubble disappeared. As she reached for a thin gold whistle, she lunged and took me to the ground. I squawked, prepared to blast her into another realm.
“Look!” She rolled off me and held her hands in front of her in a defensive gesture. A charred spot where I’d just stood. She’d saved me.
A furious screech rent the air.
Graves and I both rolled to our feet to find a bloodied Zak knock into Rei Le Torneau as she sent another deadly bolt our way. Where was his blade? The bolt went wide and splintered the wharf behind us, instead. Cora must have recovered from the stun spell because she stood near Le Torneau, yelling and gesturing, magic crackling in her hands. Yet she made no move to intervene.
“You killed my family!” Zak screamed as he continued to grapple with Le Torneau. As I sprinted toward them, ignoring everything else, a bright flash lit the air. Zak went airborne, landing in a heap.
“Looks like you’ll be joining them!” Le Torneau raised her hands. I shouted, b
ut her focus stayed rooted to Zak.
I sent a powerful fireball. Too late. She loosed an electric current that I knew from experience would kill.
“No!” Cora stepped in front of the blast, using her magic to protect Zak. The force threw her, but the shield seemed to absorb most of the energy.
My aim struck true, and Le Torneau screeched as she burned to ash in a burst of dragon’s fire. If only I could relish the moment. Instead, I ran to Zak and Cora, using my own shield to deflect any weapon or magical strikes that came my way.
“Zak, Cora, are you okay?” I fell to my knees, encompassing them within my defenses.
Zak blinked, dazed but definitely alive. He’d dislocated his shoulder. Again. Before he could regain his wits, I grabbed him and rotated the arm back into its socket. It slid into place with a sickening pop.
He screamed and collapsed backward.
Couldn’t blame him. But better now than to let him suffer.
After a moment, he tried to sit up, groaning. I helped him, checking his skull once he was upright. He had a knot half the size of my fist on the back of his head. I patted his leg, then crawled over to Cora. She lay unmoving.
I gasped. Cora’s neck crooked at an unnatural angle. Eyes stared sightlessly. Mink-the-Merciless nudged her cheek, chittering frantically.
No.
No! I tore Cookie from my tunic, placing the little furball on her chest. Cookie didn’t have to tell me what I already knew.
Cora was gone.
I gripped her limp hand. Cookie broke into a dirge. Mink chittered and bumped her head against Cora’s cheek, then stopped and scurried over to Zak. The little ferret scampered up his arm and crawled inside his shirt, her pining sounds heartbreaking.
Zak clutched the ferret to his chest. He ducked his head, choked out, “S-she saved me.”
I reached out with my free arm and pulled him to me. “And you saved me.”
He snuffled into my shirt. “Told you I’d have your back.”
I squeezed him tighter. No time to mourn. Yet, I could barely breathe. Cora. Couldn’t fall apart now. Cora. I wheezed. Cora. Her lifeless hand in mine. Spells and curses, I was about to have a meltdown.
Comfort and strength poured through our link. I gulped in a much-needed breath, tried to steady my shaking limbs. I pulled back from a pale and pained Zak.
Took me a minute to notice the docks were suddenly quiet. I looked up as Twig strode toward me in his human form, wearing not a stitch of clothing. Commander Graves, Captain Lore, and Beckett approached on his heels.
“S-she’s dead.” I only had eyes for Twig. I dropped my shield, so he could crouch next to me.
Twig nodded, his own eyes filled with sympathy and understanding. “I’m sorry Quinn.”
I willed my grief away for the moment. Drew strength from our link. “Can you move her to Quinn’s Revenge? I need to know she’s . . . cared for.”
“Anything for you, wizard.” Twig brushed the back of his fingers across my cheek, and I forced myself to relinquish her hand and removed Cookie from her chest. Twig scooped Cora into his arms as though she weighed no more than Cookie. She looked so small. Goddess, my best friend was dead. I scrubbed at my face. Even though she’d betrayed me, I didn’t doubt that she loved me. She’d just trusted the wrong person.
Hallewell would pay. Same as Le Torneau had.
“Zak, I need you to stay here. You don’t have magic.” I didn’t add ‘yet.’ No one else needed to know. “You’ll be no good against the High Council.”
“Quinn—”
“Please, kiddo. I can’t face losing you, too. Plus—” I handed over Cookie. “—I need her to treat your injuries. That knot on your head worries me. And you can help with the other wounded.” I gestured around at all the fallen pirates, townsfolk, and Patrol. “This is where you can do the most good.”
I don’t know what he saw in my face, but he saluted, then lay back, placing Cookie on his chest to do her magic. She’d probably sleep for a week after this.
Commander Graves and the two pirate captains stepped forward as I rose. I looked around. All fighting had ceased, though I hadn’t even been aware of it. The City Patrol had surrendered their weapons and were being herded roughly into a large circle, their backs to each other in a defensive stance. I didn’t have to be a mind reader to see the sentiment among the townsfolk and pirates was distinctly dark.
Beckett pursed her lips. “I can call off my crew, but I don’t have a say with the townsfolk.” Captain Lore nodded his agreement.
“They be angry and rightly so.” Ogden ‘Two-Toes’ Salem stepped up to our rag-tag group and extended his arm. “Goddesses protect you, Quinn. You live a charmed life. It’s good to see you again.”
“Well met, Two-Toes. I couldn’t have done it without you.” We clasped forearms.
“And dinnae you forget it.” He winked, exchanging the same forearm clasp with Beckett and Lore, ignoring Graves. Afterward, he nodded toward the townsfolk who were even now harrying the Patrol. “They’re wanting to give no quarter. Too many o’ their relatives are missing since you escaped. Life’s been hard for these folks.” He glared at Commander Graves. “No thanks to yer lot.”
“You gave your word.” Commander Graves tensed, her eyes riveted to mine.
“I did.”
“You really plan to spare the scurvy dogs?” Two-Toes crossed his massive arms over his thick chest, stood to his full height.
“I am. I’m not a murderer. They surrendered.” I stared him down, even though I had to look up to do so.
He glared for a moment more before breaking into a large smile. “You make a fine leader. Honorable. We need more like you.”
“I don’t know about that, but I do my best.”
“That’s more than the current crop o’ witches can claim.”
“Everyone step back,” I called, as I held up my hands, blue flames filling my palms. Pirates and townsfolk scattered, while the downtrodden City Patrol pulled closer together, fear pungent in the air.
I sent another ring of dragon fire to cage the remaining City Patrol. Honestly, this was the best way I could assure their safety.
I turned back to Two-Toes. “I need medics. Both sides need treatment. See who we can save.”
“Aye, I can round up some healers.”
“Thank you.” I turned to Commander Graves. “You can join your soldiers behind the fire ring or you can come with us.”
“I can’t side with you against the Council, no matter my personal feelings. I’m sworn to uphold the law.”
“Even when the Council is violating their own laws?”
Graves grimaced. “They’re not. Several new edicts have gone into effect after Vosen’s murder and your escape.”
“I didn’t kill her. Rei Le Torneau did. You probably don’t believe that—”
“I heard what you said to Cora. I-I believe you.”
I gawped for a moment, before recovering. “Then come and bear witness. I don’t understand everything that’s going on, but I know that something is very, very wrong. Come see for yourself.”
Graves narrowed her eyes. “Why would you want me there? I could join the fight against you.”
“But you won’t. You could have let Le Torneau kill me, but you didn’t. You know I didn’t do the things I’m accused of. And when I burn down the Council—and make no mistake, Twig and I will burn it all down—we’ll need good people with the best interests of the Hominus to step in. From what I’ve seen and heard, you’d be an obvious ally.”
Graves seemed to mull this over. “I’ll come. But I won’t act for or against you. You need to understand that.”
“Good enough.” I wanted her to see what the Council had become, how corrupt. Rotten to the core. At least if Hallewell was any indication. “I can loosely bind your wrists with my magic so that the Council won’t believe you’re defecting. If you need to use your hands to protect yourself you’ll easily be able to break the binding.”
&
nbsp; “You’re awfully trusting. Think the Goddesses favor you, eh?”
“The Goddesses have done me no favors, but I can’t say that of others.”
“Excuse me, Mister Broomsparkle, sir.” A woman with a work-weathered face wearing a mud-covered tunic and trousers shifted from one foot to the other, wringing her hands.
“Yes?”
“I’m Maggie Thornwhistle. Them citadel guards came for me Henry two days ago. I want him back, and I aim to go with you to get him. Now, I don’t have a lot of magic meself. Not trained at one of them big schools, but I got a few surprises up my sleeve.”
“I couldn’t ask you to risk your life, ma’am. There are hundreds of guards and probably almost that many witches.”
“I ain’t asking. I’m telling ye that I’m going. Me and several others are tired o’ seeing folks treated so shabbily. I’m embarrassed to say that when the Council began lessenin’ men’s rights, I thought ‘eh, what’s the big deal?’ And then when they started chippin’ away at all nonmagicals rights, I still didn’t get as angry as I should. And I didn’t care too much about the pirates, neither. But now, they’re targeting those among us who don’t fall right in line with their thinkin.’ I was foolish once, but I’ve got me eyes open now.”
While she spoke, a crowd of about three dozen town witches crowded around, all with determined expressions on their faces. Behind them, townsfolk gathered with their homemade weapons. Beckett and her crew, along with all the other able-bodied pirates, joined the crowd.
The biggest surprise, however, turned out to be the sudden appearance of Divinas Fortuna and her oversized familiar. The old woman hobbled down the path from the citadel, one hand clutching Bitsy’s fur, a large staff in the other. “You’re late, Quinn Broomsparkle. Almost too late. But the young never do value time.”
A hush fell over our group.
“You knew we’d come.” I stepped up to meet her.
She smiled, her perfect teeth gleaming. She slammed her staff into the ground, then intoned:
“Rebirth and redemption.
Ships sail, monsters reveal.
As the sky turns dark, an empire shatters;
His Fairy Share Page 32