Relics and Runes Anthology

by Heather Marie Adkins

  Bas made his way back to the house, mind still reeling from everything. They had Sera, she wasn’t his concern now.

  He found Liana sitting with Layard in the kitchen. “You’re a spy too, aren’t you?” Bas fumed.

  “Bastian, calm down,” Layard snapped, standing up. “Leave the girl alone.”

  “Why the hell are you here?” Bas glared at the old man. He didn’t want to deal with this, couldn’t deal with it. He’d be losing Sera all over again and he didn’t think he could live with that.

  “I called him.” Liana got up. “We have to help Sera.”

  “Help Sera?” Bas laughed. “She attacked me. She is a spy, she tried to steal a sacred artefact. There’s no helping her. Niall, call the guard. Hell, I’ll take her in myself.” He made a move towards Liana.

  “No one is going anywhere.” Layard stepped between them. “She’s under my protection, don’t touch her.”

  “You’re unbelievable!” Bas’s hands fisted. “Niall.”

  “Hear her out, Bastian,” Niall said. “Let’s all sit and act civilised.”

  Bas glowered at Liana. “Guess you’re fey too.”

  “No.” Her pale eyes turned bright amber, hair luminescent as fire formed in her palm. “Half mage, half dragon – you know those creatures your precious guild killed hunted to extinction.”

  “Enough!” Layard snapped. “Now is not the time to argue about race.”

  “Why not?” Liana said, crossing her arms. “That’s what this all comes down to. Race. Whose better than the other.”

  “We’re here for Sera, spitfire.” Niall touched Liana’s shoulder.

  “Right, Sera, the fey you helped to get into the guild.” Bas crossed his arms.

  “Would you get over yourself?” Liana retorted. “You’re not angry she’s fey; you’re angry because deep down you know she’s a good person.”

  Bas snorted, shutting his mouth when Layard said, “Tell Bas what you saw.”

  “After Sera got the keystone we were supposed to meet back at the lookout,” Liana explained. “But Bas got there before me.”

  “Right, I got in the way and she attacked me,” he muttered.

  “No, McGregor came in and knocked you out. He used higher magic to try and trap Sera.”

  “Then she attacked him.”

  “No, you stupid bastard,” Liana cried, grabbing him by his shirt and shaking him. “He was gonna kill you! Sera surrendered in order to save you. She’s locked up because she saved you. We could have escaped but she had to save you again. Just like she did when you first met her.”

  “Right, you expect me to believe that. Everything about her is a lie. That is just a trick too.” His hands clenched into fists as he shrugged Liana off. It was all a lie, it couldn’t have been real any of it. Maybe she only married me so she could get something out of it too and left when that didn’t work out.

  Liana’s eyes flashed. “Come on, Bastian, we both know you’re in love with her and that scares you.”

  Bas looked away, saying nothing.

  “How are we going to convince the council of the truth without exposing Li too?” Niall asked Layard.

  “There will be no convincing the council of anything.” Bas slammed his fist on the table. “Which part of her stealing the keystone didn’t you all understand?”

  “Bas, she’s still part of our team,” Niall said. “That was real.”

  “Bollocks, it was just part of her cover.”

  “Enough,” Layard snapped. “We can’t let McGregor hurt Sera. She’s Alward’s daughter.”

  “All the more reason to—” Bas started to say but shut up when Liana gave him a murderous look.

  “You know what McGregor will do to her,” Layard said to Bas. “Her being fey never bothered you before.”

  Bastian’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

  “I altered your memories of that night you spent together after you got married,” Layard admitted. “You knew she was fey, but I made you forget just as Alward did to Sera. We couldn’t erase much but it made it easier to part you. You wouldn’t leave her when the fighting broke out. You stayed together.”

  Bas rose, mind reeling. “I’ve heard enough. Do what you like with her, but I won’t be involved.”

  Bas stormed out of the house and headed straight towards his father’s home. As he walked memories of being with Sera that night in Aldron came flooding back adding further turmoil to the tornado of emotions churning through him.

  You can’t help her, he told himself. She’d lied, betrayed him in the worst possible way. Having failed didn’t matter. It was the lies. He’d been her mission, nothing else. And despite Layard and Liana’s assurances, he doubted the summer they’d spent together had been real either.

  “Sir!” Nadia came running downstairs when he entered the foyer. “You must come quick. Clara has grown much worse during the night. Her fever won’t break. Sir, I think the end is upon us.”

  Bastian shot up the stairs, reaching his sister’s side. “Clara?” He took her hand. His senses reeled from the sensation of illness and decay. The disease was finally claiming her. “Can’t you give her something?” he demanded. “Call a healer.”

  “They’ve already been. They said there’s nothing more they can do.” Nadia rubbed her red rimmed eyes. “Sera’s potion helped but it’s all gone. I heard they arrested her.”

  Bastian’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe she made it worse.”

  Nadia shook her head. “I checked the ingredients myself. They were all natural things used by the fey.”

  “You knew, didn’t you?” Bastian demanded. “You let her treat my sister, even though you knew.”

  Nadia raised her chin. “The fey know far more about healing than your people do. That child would have been dead weeks ago. At least Sera gave you more time with her.”

  Bas glanced down at his little sister, her skin so pale it looked almost translucent. All anger faded. “I’ll be back soon.” He kissed Clara’s forehead.

  He headed straight for Anton’s study, barged in without knocking.

  “If you’ve come about the girl, save your breath,” Anton said, without looking up.

  Bas gripped the edge of his father’s desk. “Clara is dying. You need to find another way to save her.”

  Anton rolled his eyes. “That child has been dying ever since the day she killed your mother. Let her go. War will soon be here, and I don’t have the money to waste on trying to revive a corpse.”

  “How can you say that about your own child?” Bas demanded, feeling fury burning through him. “She didn’t kill my mother.”

  “Yes, she did. Your mother wouldn’t have had to die if it weren’t one for that girl,” he spat.

  “Why —” Bas gasped. “Clara isn’t yours, is she? I always suspected it but…”

  Anton’s jaw tightened. “No, your mother had an affair. I couldn’t risk word getting out.”

  All the blood drained from Bastian’s face. “The fey didn’t kill her, you did.”

  “I protected our family, just as I always have.” Anton pushed past him. “Now I have to deal with your mess. The council will decide what to do with your fey. You need to decide where your loyalties lie, Bastian.”

  Without thinking, Bastian transported himself back to Sera’s cell using travel dust. To his relief she still sat there, and he knew McGregor would be back soon to start interrogating her. The guard had vanished too.

  Bas unlocked the door, grabbing her hand, then threw dust around them so they teleported out.

  “What are you doing?” Sera asked as they reappeared in Clara’s room.

  “My father killed my mother and blamed it on the fey. I think Clara might be fey too.”

  “She’s not, she’s full mage.” Sera glanced over at Clara.

  Bas’s jaw tightened. “Look I’m not saying I forgive you but – can save her?” he asked. “You saved me once.”

  “You were drowning, this is different.
” Sera moved to Clara’s side, frowning when she touched her forehead. “She’s very weak.”

  “I can’t lose her, Sera. I lost my mother, then you – I can’t lose her too. I can’t save you, but I think you love her as well.”

  She nodded. “I’ll do what I can. No promises,” she said. “This will take all my power.”

  “Take mine.” Bas took her hand, feeling his palm tingle as power flowed from him into her. “I don’t know how long we have before McGregor comes looking for you.”

  She placed her hand over Clara’s head, and the other hand over her stomach. White light radiated out from her. Not just from her hands, but from her entire body.

  Bas took a step back. He’d never felt such pure energy before. Sera muttered words he couldn’t understand, her eyes closed. He heard the sound of shouting downstairs.

  Hurry, Sera.

  The white light washed over Clara’s tiny body. Her eyes flew open and she gasped for breath.

  Whatever happens, don’t interfere, Sera warned.

  Bas stepped back, helpless. He couldn’t believe he’d done this, asked a traitor for help. His initial shock had worn off and he knew Sera was Clara’s only hope. Clara continued choking, struggling for breath and Sera’s brow creased. Please let this work, Bas prayed. Please let me have done the right thing.

  Sera’s eyes open. “Clara?”

  Clara grinned up at her. “Sera, you came to visit.” She sat up and wrapped her arms around the fey. Sera hugged her then drew back, swaying.

  Bas caught hold of her. “Are you okay?”

  “That took more power than I thought.” She slumped against him. Bas, that disease wasn’t natural. Something caused it. A spell of some kind, but I broke it.

  “What’s wrong with Sera?” Clara asked. “Is she okay?”

  “She’ll be alright.” Bas helped Sera over to a chair then hugged his sister. “I love you, little sister.”

  “I love you too, Bas.”

  Bas ruffled her hair. “Sera has to go now. This will be the last time you see her again.”

  Clara’s lip quivered. “Why?”

  “She – she has to go away,” Bas lied.

  “Why? Why can’t he stay he was us? She’s family. Family stays together.” Bas winced at her words, but how could he explain what would really happen to Sera? Clara would be devastated if she knew the truth.

  Sera stumbled over to the bed. “We’ll see each other again someday, little one. I promise.” She turned to Bas. “Take me back now.”

  15

  Sera let Bas help her back into her cell, feeling exhausted. She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. She knew she’d be facing interrogation again, but McGregor would be left disappointed. She’d die before she ever betrayed her people. Sera knew they’d execute her but if she could save one person before then it would be worth it.

  Being with Bas and seeing the accusation in his eyes was worse than anything McGregor could conjure up.

  “Go,” she told him. “I’ll pay for what I’ve done.” She slumped onto the cold bunk.

  “You’re just giving up?”

  “I won’t risk anyone’s life to save mine. I’m glad Clara is okay.”

  Bas turned to leave. “Was any of it real?”

  Sera wrapped her arms around herself. “You know what I’ve done, what I am. What else is there to say?” she murmured. “I told you it’d never work between us.” She felt the heat of his gaze, the anger burning from him.

  “Was I just a mission to you? A job?” he demanded. “You lived and worked with my team. You became part of us, we were friends. Now I wonder if all that’s a lie too.”

  “We were friends. I came to find the keystone, to find a way to free my people. The fey are dying because of what the mages have done to them.”

  Bas crossed the room into strides, grabbing hold of her shoulders. “You are more than a friend to me and you know it.” He gripped her so hard she winced.

  A tear dripped down her cheek, she shoved him away. “What do you want me to say?” She glared at him. “I tried to steal the stone, I spent months planning it. I could have gotten away with it too, but I stayed so he wouldn’t kill you.”

  “Why?”

  “It doesn’t matter now.” Sera pushed her hair off her face.

  “Maybe it matters to me.”

  She sighed. “I fel like I belonged with you – with your team. I’ve never struggled with a mission before, I’ve never felt like I belonged anywhere,” she said. “I get in, I get out. It’s what I’m good at.”

  “If you struggled so much, why stay? Why not get someone else to do it?” He wouldn’t have had to have seen her again then, he would never have known the only woman he’d ever loved had lied to him, had used him all along.

  Sera shook her head. “There’s no one else.”

  “It wasn’t real, I know that now.” Bas gripped the door handle.

  She knew nothing she said would make any difference now. “I’m prepared to die if I have to. All Ashran are.” She watched him walk out, feeling her heart aching. “It wasn’t all a lie,” she said. “I did love you.”

  He paused, then walked away without looking back. “How could I love a stranger?” he said.

  Sera slumped back on the metal bunk, energy spent. She wouldn’t cry, even if it felt like her soul had just been torn in two. She’d made her choice and she didn’t regret it.

  “Sera?” Alward appeared inside her mind when she squeezed her eyes closed. “You failed me.”

  “If you know that why come to me?”

  “Because I want to know why.” Alward thundered. “How could you put one life above those of your people? And a mage at that!”

  Sera shook her head again. “Because I’m tired. This hatred has to end. No one race is better than the other.”

  “War will soon be here, we needed that stone!”

  “War will never end the conflict,” she snapped back. “Only peace can do that.”

  “You’ve given up on all your dreams? For what, him?”

  “I didn’t just do it to save him. If I saved two lives before they kill me then my death won’t have been in vain.”

  “You’ll never know how much you disappointed me, Serafina.”

  She opened her eyes as the door creaked open. McGregor shackled her wrists and dragged her out the to the interrogation room.

  “It must hurt to know you failed,” McGregor said. “Even your own people abandoned you.” He placed the box on the table in front of her. “All for this one little crystal.”

  Her lips curved into a smile. “I bet Anton is furious with you for letting a fey into your ranks. Something you said was impossible.”

  His jaw tightened. “Your kind will soon be extinct.”

  She snorted. “There are hundreds of free fey in the old world. Soon they will all rise up against you.”

  “I want show you something.” He gripped her arm, dragging her downstairs.

  Below she saw dozens of Ithereals chained together mining silver ore. Guards jabbed and beat them with agriels.

  “You’re draining them of power,” she gasped. “You’re using them because they’re the only ones who could withstand the heat. You use them to fuel your own powers.”

  This was why all mages in Elmira were so powerful, their strength came from the fey.

  “Yes, soon your power will soon join theirs.” He dragged her out of the mine down to the very depths of the city. Sera didn’t bother struggling, she had too little strength left.

  “You’re going to tell me everything you know about the Ashran,” McGregor ordered.

  “Not happening.”

  He caught hold of the back of her hair, forcing her to her knees and shoved her head into the water. The river’s iciness stung her face like a thousand pinpricks as he held her under. Her lungs screamed for air.

  He yanked head back out. Sera gasped, coughing up water, her chest heaving as she tried to gulp in air.

  “Te
ll me or I’ll do far worse than this.” He smiled.

  “Do it,” she hissed. “I’ll never tell you anything.”

  Macgregor pushed her under again. This time she felt him clawing at the edges of her mind, trying to gain entry. Sera imagined her diamond wall of resistance in place. No matter what she’d never betray her people, not even save herself. Maybe she’d die here but she would die free.

  McGregor pulled her up. “You’re resilient, I like that. You won’t last long. You’re weak, I can see it.”

  She glared at him. “Soon all Ithereals will know true freedom.” She wrenched her arm back and punched him in the face, feeling the crunch of bone.

  McGregor clutched his nose, his eyes widening when he saw the blood. “You little bitch. You’ll pay for that!” He prodded the agriel into her ribs, making Sera scream as pain tore through every nerve ending.

  “Tell me where Alward is.” He pulled the rod away.

  Sera gritted her teeth, saying nothing. She prayed it would end soon. He struck her again, dunking her head underwater, using the agriel at the same time.

  Sera clamped her eyes shut, trying to imagine something else, anything but the pain, wishing it was over. She felt cold metal ripping into her wings, slicing away at her very soul.

  Bastian froze on the edge of the balcony as McGregor cut into Sera’s wings, slicing through them. “Fuck, we’re too late.”

  His heart stopped, seeing the blood pouring from Sera’s body. He hurled an energy bolt McGregor who yelped and stumbled, causing Sera to fall over the edge.

  Niall raised his crossbow. Two bolts hissed through the air, hitting McGregor in the chest. Sera vanished into the murky depths.

  “Find Sera, McGregor is mine.” Liana sprang from the balcony, free falling and landing on the ground below, unharmed.

  Bas looked down, unable to see Sera. Damn it, he couldn’t lose her again.

  “Get the jumper.” Bas scrambled over the railing and jumped.

  He hit the water, hard, it felt like hitting concrete, but he ignored the pain and dove under. He couldn’t see anything through the blackness. Come on, Sera, where are you? He flung his senses out like a net as he swam against the raging current. The waves pulled him downstream stream, then he spotted something. Sera lay slumped against a narrow arch where the river flowed out of the city and into the sea, clinging to a hook.