Cage of Fire (Parallel Magic Book 1)

by Emma L. Adams

  I was in the middle of my first match when I heard Harper’s loud scream. I glanced up, and damn near took a flaming punch to the nose as a result. Reeling back, I blocked another blast of flame and risked a glance in that direction. Harper didn’t look injured, thankfully, but her opponent had her on the defensive. Her hands ignited with flames, but an instant later, the fire sputtered and died.

  Flames leapt from my own hands, and my opponent backed up, tripping over his own feet as I swept his ankles out from underneath him. I finished up my match and turned to watch Harper stumble back, her hands sparking with feeble flames. Was her magic acting up out of nerves? Or anger at me for betraying her? I wished I could do something to help her, but before I could head that way, Liv got there first.

  Damn her. If she kicked out Harper now, I’d have to intervene. I listened out and heard Harper tell Liv her magic wasn’t working. Had her water sprite come back? There was no sign of her—or her brother, thankfully.

  Liv gave a glare at the arena as a whole as though we’d all offended her in some way, then focused her attention on me. Hey, don’t look at me. I hadn’t the faintest clue what her problem was, but in the match behind me, both combatants had resorted to a fistfight, unable to conjure up much more than a spark.

  “We can’t fight like this!” someone protested to an unsympathetic Earth Element.

  “Not my problem,” he responded.

  Several protests rang out among the others, and everyone forgot all about fighting in lieu of yelling at the Elemental Soldiers.

  “Hold on,” said the Water Element. “Everyone keep still. We’re going to sort this.”

  The Elemental Soldiers strode around the arena, peering into every shadow in case it held a water mage—or sprite. Liv was as sharp-eyed as ever, but I found it bizarre that only half the contenders or so seemed to have been affected. Maybe they’d trodden in the swamp or fallen in a pond or something. Or Harper had invited her brother in again, despite my warnings. Please no. I assumed she knew better, but the question of how he’d survived the night on the run gnawed at me, especially after the Withered Oak had proven a let-down. I hoped my cantrips had helped, at least.

  Liv walked around the arena’s edge and stopped next to me. And here’s interrogation round two. “A bunch of people are losing their magic.”

  “Don’t blame me,” I said. “Maybe they spent too long in the shower.”

  She didn’t look amused, so I suggested Sledge had been responsible instead. What the hell, maybe he had, if he’d been here. It was as good a guess as any. I kept waiting for her to bring up our encounter at the citadel, but instead, she said, “Are you sure you don’t know any spirit mages?”

  “I know you,” I responded. “If that counts. Why, did you think you had to become buddies with the Death King to learn spirit magic?”

  Oops. I probably shouldn’t have said that. Annoyance flared in her eyes, and she said, “I’m in the Death King’s employment. That doesn’t make us friends.”

  “No, because he isn’t around,” I said. “He’s skiving off, isn’t he? Not even watching his own trials.”

  Stop talking, Bria. I wanted to warn her about Shawn and his mates’ plan, but how could I do that if I didn’t know when the spirit mages were going to make their move?

  “Are you sure you want this job?” she said. “Because you’re doing a great job of convincing me to kick you out.”

  “Thought it was up to the King of the Dead,” I responded.

  “The final decision is.” She didn’t sound like she truly believed it, though. “Have you been snooping around the castle when the Elemental Soldiers told you to stay put?”

  I told her I’d seen the rest of the castle during the flood, but it was when I said I’d met Dex guarding the hall of souls that her brows shot up.

  “He got the job because he’s the one person I trust to keep any potential saboteurs out of there,” she said. And if you’re getting any ideas, then I’ll gladly escort you to the jail.”

  No. I’m not, but someone is. More than one someone. “No need for that. I thought you wanted me to give you information about potential saboteurs, not accuse me of doing the same.”

  “If you know someone in here who plans to disrupt the contest—”

  “I don’t.” And yet I did. “But I don’t think Sledge was working alone. He has friends.”

  Her gaze went to Bark, Sledge’s friend. Yes. Him.

  “Do you know the location of the House of Fire?” she asked.

  “Why?” What in hell did that have to do with anything? “If you want to ask them if one of their members is trying to wreck the contest, they’ll throw you out on your arse.”

  Why the sudden interest? She hadn’t even heard of the Houses until I’d brought them up. She wouldn’t know who the Family was, nor their link to the House of Fire.

  In response to my question, Liv said, “For one thing, a former friend of mine might be hiding with them. For another, I’m about fifty percent sure someone in their number sent assassins after me. Do you know them personally?”

  The Air Element interrupted by walking over. “We’re resuming the matches. No magic. Bria, you’re fighting Clancy over there.”

  “Put her against that dude instead,” Liv said, pointing to Bark.

  I wanted to finish our conversation, but I could at least see to it that Sledge’s mate got kicked out first. I didn’t have to use magic, which meant it’d be the same as yesterday’s trials. Easy enough.

  Question was, who’d dampened the contenders’ magic? Liv didn’t know, but she seemed under the mistaken impression that I did. Harper might know, but whenever I looked at her, she averted her gaze. I’d have to wait until the matches were over to have another chance to talk to her.

  In the meantime, I walked over to Bark, Sledge’s friend, and faced him across the arena. “Is your magic working?”

  “Sure.” Flames licked his palms. “They told us not to use it, unless you’re looking to get burned.”

  Fire leapt to my own hands. “Speak for yourself.”

  We circled one another, hands blazing, waiting for an opening. He tried to hit me, but I pivoted, dodged, and continued to circle him. He fixed on a scowl. “Quit messing with me.”

  “If you insist.” I darted forward and sank a blazing fist into his ribs. He grunted in pain, then struck back. I blocked, my sleeve smoking at the edges. “Nice try.”

  “I know you’re the one who got Sledge kicked out.” He swung his fist. I blocked, but pain ripped up my arm where his blazing hand caught the skin. “I saw what you did.”

  “I could do the same to you.” I aimed another punch, the flames snagging his jaw.

  He flinched away. “Kicking Sledge out doesn’t mean shit. Not now he has—”

  “Has what?” I hit out in a series of aggressive punches to his ribs which sent him staggering back.

  “Nothing,” he gasped out, doubling over.

  “Uh-huh.” I kept on the attack, dodging his attempts to retaliate. “A gift from the Family, is it? Some kind of cantrip?”

  He faltered and tripped backwards over his own feet. “How did you know?”

  “Caught him talking to some mysterious messenger the other night.” I drew back for a moment, then went on the offensive again. “I also know they’re planning to come here today. Care to tell me when?”

  My next strike sent him sprawling onto his back. He staggered upright an instant later. “You asked for it.”

  His fist clenched and I spotted the glint of a cantrip before it turned to dust in his hand. Then flames leapt to the sky, not just from his hands but from his whole body at once. I veered away from the searing heat, alarm blaring through me. My own fire looked puny in comparison.

  Guess that answered the question of what kind of cantrip the Family had given him. Pity I was the one on the receiving end.

  “Hey!” I dodged his flaming fist, the smell of burning hair drifting in its wake. “You’re cheating
.”

  “I’m gonna burn you to a crisp!” he bellowed.

  Not happening. His hands blazed so bright that I doubted he could see clearly, so I put on a burst of speed to get behind him and then threw a cantrip of my own at his back. His body froze in position as the paralysing spell kicked in. He dropped to his knees, still blazing all over with flickering flames. If he wasn’t careful, he’d literally burn himself out.

  “Tell me.” I crouched down at a safe enough distance to be heard over the crackle of flames. “How are they planning to get in? Through the node?”

  I had the only transporter spell… though come to think of it, the spirit mages had given me that themselves, so maybe they did have a backup. That, or they planned to come in through the gates instead.

  Bark didn’t answer, and a moment later, Liv walked over to us, looking at Bark’s sprawling body.

  “He cheated using a cantrip,” I told her. “Gave himself a boost.”

  “Can anyone back you up on that?” she asked.

  A blazing current of light drew both our eyes, then she turned and ran off, jogging past the arena. I gaped after her, realising the light had come from outside the fence, not inside. The node.

  Had the Spirit Agents arrived to launch their tack.

  Leaving Bark sprawled on the ground, I went in search of Harper and stood in front of her opponent, blocking him from reaching her. “Time out.”

  “Hey!” Harper said indignantly. “What’s your problem?”

  “That.” I pointed at the current of light blazing from behind the gate. “Liv went to check it out. I’d say it’s trouble.”

  Anger hardened her eyes. “Not my problem.”

  “Bria, get back to your own opponent,” said the Earth Element.

  Dammit. “Bark cheated using a cantrip,” I told him. “If I were you, I’d kick him out.”

  At another warning glance from Harper, I moved back to my own match and faced my next opponent. The match didn’t last long, and as the Elemental Soldiers called the round to an end, I spotted the Air Element walking through the gate, dragging a struggling Sledge along with them.

  Don’t bring him in here! What the hell were they doing?

  I walked out of the arena, raising my brows as the Air Element approached the block that housed the jail cells. Sledge must have really pissed off the Elemental Soldiers if they were locking him up.

  I approached the Air Element and their struggling captive. “What did he do?”

  “Attacked Liv and me,” grunted the Air Element.

  “Where’s Liv?” I didn’t see her anywhere. Was she still dealing with the trouble at the node?

  “Something came up,” they said. “Can you give me a hand here?”

  “You want me to help carry him?”

  “No, but I’d appreciate it if you opened the jail door.”

  “Can’t the liches do that?” We approached the block and I saw what the problem was. “Oh. Liches can’t open doors.”

  The two guards turned my way as I neared the jail, their masked faces radiating disapproval. I shot them a smile and opened the door for the Air Element. I let them go ahead and then entered the jail, suppressing a shiver of unease. Rows of cells greeted me on either side, claustrophobic and almost completely dark. Not to mention cold, too, though the whole castle was. Being a fire mage would make it more bearable, but I wouldn’t like to be locked up in a place like this. Not that the House of Fire had been a paradise, but still.

  I spotted a glittering light in the corner of my eye, but it vanished when I turned back to it, leaving the jail as dark as ever. Was that a sprite?

  “Go on, Bria,” said the Air Element. “Open the cell on the right. Any funny business and you’ll be locked in there yourself.”

  “No need for that.” I opened the barred door, then stepped aside as the Air Element dropped Sledge onto a bench inside the narrow cell. “Did he have a strange cantrip on him, by any chance? When you caught him?”

  They slammed the door on him. “Yes, he did. What kind of cantrip?”

  “No need to sound so accusing,” I said. “Bark used some kind of cantrip to cheat in his match against me. It upped his fire to crazy levels. I figured since they were friends, he might have used the same cantrip.”

  The Air Element regarded me for a moment. “Bark used a cantrip, did he?”

  “I told Liv, but I’m not sure she was listening.”

  “She has a lot on her mind.” The Air Element locked the cell door on Sledge, who lay unmoving on the bench. “Did Bark tell you where he got the cantrip from?”

  “No, but I think both Sledge and Bark were working with the same people,” I said. “He hinted as much.”

  Question was, had all the Spirit Agents been allied with them, or just Shawn and his friends? With Sledge jailed and Bark kicked out, the intruders might have trouble getting into the castle… unless they had other allies in here. Which they might well do.

  The Air Element frowned. “If it turns out you know more than you’ve told us, then you’re liable to be subject to interrogation at the Death King’s hands, innocent or not.”

  My shoulders tensed. “I can’t tell you anything about where those cantrips came from, but I’d suggest sending someone to question Sledge as soon as he’s awake.”

  “I’ll deal with him, then,” they said. “Go back to the others. It’ll be easier for you if you stay out of this one.”

  I left the jail, thanking my lucky stars that I’d avoided punishment. I would have liked to speak to Sledge myself, but he wasn’t the danger here. Not now he was locked up behind bars.

  As I passed the bushes near the node, Harper grabbed me by the leg and yanked me on top of her. Surprise stopped me from fighting back when her fist hit me on the cheekbone. Ow.

  “What’s wrong with you?” I struggled out of her grip. “I don’t want to fight you.”

  “You did this,” she said. “You took Mav.”

  “Who?” I said. “Your sprite? Is she the one who’s dampening everyone’s powers?”

  “Not everyone’s.” She tried to hit me again, and I blocked her with my forearm. “You sold us out, and even that wasn’t enough for you. Was it?”

  “I didn’t sell you out.” I yanked myself out of her grip and stumbled out of the bush. “And I didn’t take Mav. I didn’t even know she was missing. Look around. Where would I hide a sprite?”

  Her expression calmed a little. “I don’t know, but she’s been missing since this morning.”

  Since… hang on a second. I rose to my feet. “Did you check the jail?”

  “What?” she said. “No. Why?”

  “Sledge,” I said. “I just saw the Air Element take him there and lock him up, and I thought I saw a sprite in there. I didn’t realise it might be Mav.”

  She scrambled to her feet. “What? Why didn’t you get her out?”

  “I wasn’t sure it was her I saw. It’s pitch-black in there.” I dug in my pocket. “I only have so many of these cantrips left, but I think I can help her out. I need to talk to Sledge anyway, to find out who his other allies are.”

  We waited for the Air Element to leave first. When they were out of hearing distance, we approached the jail, and the two liches standing outside it. There was no gap between them, so we’d have to create a diversion. I nudged Harper to get her attention—and one of the liches looked directly at me.

  “Who’s there?” the lich said, in a low, chilling voice. “Show yourself.”

  Oh, hell. I was fairly sure our cantrips wouldn’t work on immortal death lords, but if they alerted the Elemental Soldiers, we’d lose our chance.

  Flames exploded from my right-hand-side, turning the liches to dust in an instant. Damn, Harper. I took the opportunity to step over the piles of ashes and into the jail.

  The door closed behind us, and Harper appeared at my side. “That’s that taken care of. Hey, don’t look at me like that, Bria. It’s not like they’re really dead.”

 
“You mean deader than usual.” I frowned at her. “If they figure out that we’re the ones responsible, they’ll march back over here as soon as their regeneration kicks in.”

  “Nah, they wouldn’t have seen or heard us,” she said. “I think there’s a time gap of a few hours between when a lich dies and when their soul amulet revives them, too.”

  “Then we’d better hurry up.”

  I had to admit it was much easier to get around the jail without any potential witnesses nearby. Just as long as the Air Element didn’t come back and find their lich guards reduced to ashes. At least with a whole castle full of fire mages, they wouldn’t leap on us as the culprits if we weren’t caught near here.

  While Harper went to rescue her sprite, I found the jail’s other occupant lying on a bench in his cell. Sledge stirred, groaning quietly. “Who’s there?”

  “Bria.” I approached his cell, turning off the invisibility cantrip. “What the hell made you think it was a good idea to attack the Death King’s guards after you were already kicked out the contest?”

  “I was told that I’d have backup,” he said. “What’s it to you?”

  “Was it a spirit mage called Shawn who told you to break into the castle from the outside, by any chance?” I muttered. “Did he promise to back you up?”

  He startled upright. “How’d you know that name?”

  A clattering noise came from Harper’s corner. She turned and stared at me, her face pale.

  “He tried to recruit me, too.” For Harper’s benefit, I added, “I’m not with him, but I need to know who else is. He’s supposed to be coming here. Soon.”

  “What?” Sledge stood, his eyes widening. “He promised to back me up, then bailed on me. I’ll kill him.”

  “Bit difficult from where you’re standing.”

  The bastard clearly had zero loyalty. Had Shawn and the others made a totally different promise to everyone they spoke to?

  “Then get me out,” he said. “If they’re coming here through the node, they’ll need a living person to take the Death King’s soul amulet.”