The Arcane Ward

by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

  His voice rang in her head. I’m afraid to look.

  Cassie swallowed hard and turned toward the wall.

  Swirling debris filled the air, lit by the last rays of the sinking sun. As the dust settled, the extent of the damage they caused became clear.

  A section of the wall, eight strides across, had crumbled to the ground. Broken square blocks lay piled atop pieces of the living boulder. Those pieces twitched violently, still charged with the speed rune, yet trapped by the weight of the wall.

  “What have we done?” Cassie said aloud at the extent of the damage.

  Brandt smiled and put his arm around her. “We found a new rune! You can do it, Cass. You discovered how to identify new Chaos runes!”

  32

  Threat of War

  With a sealed message held in one hand, Quinn opened the door and stepped onto the terrace. A balding man in a white-trimmed blue coat leaned against the railing. He was tall and had an athletic build that spoke of his excellent physical condition, despite his advancing years. Quinn glanced toward the desk at the center of the loft and spotted a map, black notations and arrows marking an area near Yarth. On the wall behind the desk, weapons dangled from hooks – a massive great sword, a halberd, a shield with the rune of Issal on it, and a pair of short swords that crossed one another. The noise of wooden weapons clacking together, along with the grunts of those involved in the duel, came from below. A cry of pain arose, followed by cheers.

  Quinn walked toward the man, but rather than turning toward her, he continued to watch the action in the sparring yard below.

  “He is a beast…a one-man army.” The man said aloud.

  When she reached the rail, Quinn saw Wyck in the training yard below, facing two fellow male soldiers. A female guard lay in the dirt behind Wyck, holding her leg as a healer ran in to help her.

  One of the men facing Wyck circled to the wildcat’s side, trying to get behind him. The other man attacked, drawing Wyck’s attention. Wyck blocked the first man’s strike with his shield and thrust with a low kick that struck the man’s knee, sending him to the ground. The guard behind him attacked, but Wyck’s backswing forced the man backward and gave Wyck time to recover. The man snarled and tried again, leading with a lunge that Wyck sidestepped. Wyck then swung a vicious swing, striking the man’s shield so hard that the sword shattered, splinters raining down as the man staggered backward. The loss of his weapon didn’t appear to affect Wyck’s bravado. Instead, he charged the man, his shield smashing into him with an upward thrust. The impact was thunderous and launched the man into the air. He landed in a heap eight feet away and didn’t move. As the healer ran in, the man beside Quinn turned to her.

  “Did you see that? He destroyed the other three soldiers like they were children using pretend weapons.”

  “Yes. Quite impressive.” Quinn was unsure of what else to say.

  The man looked down at the sealed message in Quinn’s hand. “I assume that is for me.”

  “That depends on who you are, sir.”

  He smiled, his thin mustache curling up with his lips. “I am Captain Sculdin. And you are…”

  “Glynnis Mor, sir. I am Archon Varius’ handmaid.”

  “What happened to the other girl? The pretty one with the lips and curves?”

  “She…she upset the Archon.”

  Sculdin snorted. “I am not surprised. That girl seemed to think much of herself. With looks like that, I can understand why. She likely could get away with it if she were working for a man, but not even the Archon herself acts as if others are that far beneath her.”

  Quinn held the missive toward him. “I am to give you this. You are to send a trustworthy man with it, first thing tomorrow.”

  A frown crossed Sculdin’s face as he broke the seal and opened the note. As Quinn waited for him to finish, she found herself wishing she knew the information it contained. She looked down toward the sparring yard and saw the healer helping the last man to his feet. Despite having been healed, he staggered when he stood, and the woman helped him toward the exit. Wyck ignored it. He stood amid a cluster of guards, laughing at something Quinn was unable to hear. When she turned back to the captain, he folded the piece of paper and gave her a nod.

  “Tell the Archon that I will have the messenger on the first ship tomorrow morning.”

  With a nod, Quinn spun about and headed toward the door. She crossed a long corridor lit by angled beams of sunlight coming through narrow windows overhead. With concerns of an impending war between the kingdoms and the Empire preoccupied her mind, the return journey to her room passed far more quickly than the outbound trip. Those thoughts slid away as she exited the stairwell near the door to her room.

  Quinn removed the cord from beneath her dress and slid it over her head. Her fingers found a key, a glance revealing it as the wrong one. She released it, grabbed the other key tied to the cord, and slid it into the lock. With a twist, she opened it and entered her room.

  A thin sliver of sunlight streamed through the curtain on the far wall. Quinn circled her bed and opened the curtain, the angle of the sun forcing her to squint.

  Still well above the horizon, the bright orb hovered over the Sea of Fates, painting the blue waters with aqua tones. The harbor stood a mile away, but at five stories above the castle grounds, Quinn had a fair view of the busy docks, teeming with activity. With red tiled rooftops between the citadel and the docks, the view was among the things she enjoyed most about her stay in Sol Polis. Releasing a sigh, she turned from the window and walked to the door that connected to the Archon’s chamber.

  Knocking soundly, Quinn paused and listened. When Varius didn’t respond, she used the other key on her cord and unlocked the door. She then slid the cord over her head and peeked inside.

  Sunlight streamed through open curtains and provided sufficient light for Quinn to confirm that the Archon’s suite was empty. Since Varius spent much of her time there, it was difficult for Quinn to maintain the room and remain out of the woman’s hair. I had best get some cleaning done.

  She stepped back into her room, grabbed her basket of cleaning supplies and the bucket of water she had prepared earlier in the day, and entered the Archon’s quarters. After walking to the bathing area, Quinn set the bucket and supplies down before standing and stretching her back. Cleaning the copper tub was among the duties Quinn most detested – yet it was better than half the things Larrimor had forced on her. The Archon had Quinn doing things that actually seemed to hold value, such as taking notes during a meeting or carrying missives to council members and local officers.

  Quinn’s gaze landed on the Archon’s desk, covered in papers. A longing stirred inside as she stared at the paperwork from a distance. Varius had specifically forbidden her from going near the desk, yet secrets might reside there, waiting for Quinn’s discovery.

  With a deep breath to firm her resolve, Quinn walked toward the office. When she neared the desk, muffled voices came through the door at the end of the room – the door that led to General Kardan’s office. Instead of searching the desk, Quinn walked to that door and put her ear against it.

  “…isn’t the point, Leo.” Varius said. “I’ll not go into a war blindly and without regard.”

  Quinn heard Kardan reply. “We’ve been over this before, Meryl. Half of the Council is with me and they agree.”

  “And, yet, half of them are not. Nor am I.”

  “If we attack now, we could capture them by surprise,” he insisted. “Hipoint and Wayport are ready for the taking, which would extend our reach. From there, we could push up toward Fallbrandt before winter hits.”

  Varius sighed. “I know how much you would like to take control of the schools, but what about the garrison at Hipoint? Reports are that King Brock has reinstituted it.” The woman’s tone made it seem like saying King Brock was rancid to her tongue. “We cannot claim Hipoint without addressing the garrison. How many soldiers are stationed there?”

  “Last report
tells me three hundred, perhaps three-fifty.”

  “What about arcanists?”

  “Yes,” Kardan admitted, “They likely have those as well.”

  “With their access to Chaos, you know well the destruction they can render. Imagine a war with flash powder on one side and Chaos on the other. How many would die without even getting near an enemy?”

  “Why have we taken Kalimar if we had no intention of further expanding our borders?” he demanded.

  “We took Kalimar because Sol Polis is rightly ours, as it was centuries ago. This is the seat of the Empire and the holy center of the Ministry, as it was always meant to be.”

  A long moment of silence left Quinn wondering if she should rush back to cleaning the tub. The thought was squashed when the Archon resumed speaking.

  “The Empire controls the eastern seaboard, Leo. We have a home and laws that protect the people from Chaos, just as we did twenty years ago. Yes, our lands are not what they once were, but neither is our army.” Varius paused briefly. “The call has gone out, and we are already gathering new followers who journey from the west to join us, to live a life free of Chaos. Given time, our forces will grow and our enemy will grow weaker in the process. Gambo is out feeding that frenzy while he gathers more soldiers to support us.

  “Perhaps Jarlish will discover another means to utilize flash powder, something that will give us an edge and limit the casualties should it come to war. Until then, we must wait. More importantly, I need you to back my position. Arguing amongst the Council members is one thing – for that will happen on most subjects – but you and I must lead together with a unified message and a clear agenda.

  “Give my plan more time, Leo. The order has been issued, and my son will do what is required. If Kantaria crumbles from within, we can swoop in and capture it with little resistance. The Empire can then advance and occupy the south. With winter coming, the weather will slow the northern kingdoms and offer us time to solidify our position. By spring, it will be too late. Kantaria will be ours and then we can focus on Fallbrandt.”

  After a long pause, Kardan finally replied. “Fair enough, Meryl. I’ll back your stance and will push the issue no further. However, should your plan fail, we must rethink our position. A war with Chaos and flash powder might be frightening, but I’ll not give up what we have earned nor will I return to that god-forsaken prison. Thirteen years there was more than enough for me, and I suspect you feel the same way.”

  “Thank you, Leo,” she said with gratitude in her voice. “You are correct about one thing: Returning to that prison will never happen. I will end my own life before accepting such a fate. Still, I pray this situation does not come down to a direct clash of our armies – of our weapons against their magic. If it does, the blood of thousands will be on our hands. I don’t know if that is something I can willingly accept.”

  Soft footsteps tapped across the tile and carried through the door. Quinn gasped, spun, and sprinted away. She launched herself over the sofa, landed, and slid on her knees across the marble floor to slam against the side of the copper tub. When she heard the door open behind her, Quinn turned and lifted the sponge from the bucket as she gave Varius a nod. Quinn then wiped her forearm across her brow, turned back to the tub, and began scrubbing to the beat of the heavy thumping in her chest.

  33

  Assassin

  The pale aura of glowlamps lit the citadel receiving hall, the light too weak to reach the recesses of the vaulted ceiling. A pair of guards with white and blue tabards stood beside the doors to the council chamber. Occasionally, one of the guards would fidget, the rings of their mail jingling as they stretched out a kink from standing so long. Inevitably, Quinn would turn toward them and then stare at the doors, wondering what might cause the meeting to run so late. She glanced down at the basket beside her on the bench. The food was assuredly cold by now as it was hours past dinner. Still, she waited. The Archon had to eat at some point.

  A thud startled her when the doors burst open. Eight men poured out into the hall, each wearing a blue-trimmed white cloak. Four of the men appeared weary, but satisfied. The other four grimaced as they walked past her. Moments later, the door opened with Kardan holding it for Varius as she exited the chamber. Quinn scooped up the basket and stood, ready to greet her master.

  When Varius saw Quinn holding the basket, she stopped and turned toward Kardan.

  “It appears I won’t miss dinner after all. Would you like to join me, Leo?”

  Kardan shook his head. “No. I need to get these new orders to Sergeant Mollis. He’s stationed at the western gate, so I’ll take two soldiers and head there now to tell him myself.”

  Varius nodded. “Very well. I will see you in the morning.”

  Without another word, Kardan strode across the hall, toward the doors that led outside. Varius turned toward Quinn, her eyes landing on the basket.

  “I don’t suppose there’s a hot meal in there.”

  Quinn shook her head. “Sorry, Archon. I waited until the kitchen staff had cleaned everything else and then assembled the basket. There is a jackaroo leg, two hard rolls, and steamed carrots. None are warm, but all can be eaten while cold.”

  Varius pulled a note from her cloak. “Give me the basket. I’ll go to my room and eat. I need you to bring this message to Master Sheen. He must receive it tonight so he can prepare first thing tomorrow morning.”

  Holding out the basket, Quinn handed it to the woman in exchange for the sealed message. “I’ll run down and see him right away.”

  “Good. When you are finished, you may go to bed. I will see you in the morning.”

  With a nod, Quinn trailed Varius to the stairwell. The Archon began her ascent while Quinn descended to the lower level. Glowlamps mounted on the wall lit the basement corridor, guiding the way to the servants’ chambers. At the first door, Quinn stopped and knocked. A moment later, a man called from within.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s Glynnis Mor, Master Sheen. I have a message from Archon Varius.”

  The door opened to reveal the short man dressed in a blue robe. His eyes squinted and blinked at the pale light in the hallway.

  “I’m sorry to wake you, sir. Archon Varius said that you needed to read this now so you could properly prepare first thing tomorrow.”

  He stared at the note with a furrowed brow. “What’s it say?”

  “I don’t know, sir. The message is sealed.” Quinn held it out to him.

  The man grimaced and snatched the note from Quinn before closing the door. She snorted as she stared at the door. I wonder if that man has ever been happy. Turning about, she followed the corridor to the stairwell and began her ascent. Her mind began to drift as she recalled the conversation she had overheard between Varius and Kardan a week earlier. Varius was against any further invasion of kingdom lands, and she had convinced Kardan to back her. The long council meeting may have centered on that topic. Half the council had emerged upset, while Varius and Kardan appeared at ease. Kardan delivered orders to Mollis himself, so they must be important. I wish I knew what those orders involved.

  When Quinn emerged from the stairwell, she walked down the empty hallway to her door before removing her key and opening it. She removed the cloth from the glowlamp beside the door and shook the lamp, bringing the blue glow back to life and lighting the room. Her bed called to her, begging her to lie down and rest. After a long day of errands, cleaning, and waiting hours past dinner for the meeting to end, Quinn felt compelled to accept her bed’s request. She sat at the edge of it and kicked off her slippers. After removing her smock and untying her sash, she unbuttoned the neck, stood, and dropped the dress to the floor. Now in her cream-colored shift, she bent to pick up the dress before draping it over a chair.

  A crack and a thud came from the room beside hers. Quinn frowned at the door. She moved closer and put her ear to the door. The thump of heavy footsteps vibrated the wood – too heavy to come from Varius. Alarmed, Quinn grabbed her k
eys and the bronze disk beside them before unlocking the door to the Archon’s quarters. Her heart was racing as she opened the door, and it then skipped a beat at the sight beyond.

  Wyck stood over Varius, who lay upon the floor just beyond her bed. Blood ran down the side of her head and a broken bedpost lay beside her. The woman’s eyes were closed, her body still.

  Quinn cried, “Wyck. You mustn’t!”

  The big man looked at her and shook his head. “I can end it here, Quinn. I kill the evil wench. If I chop the head off the snake, I’ll end this war.”

  She ran into the room. “No. It doesn’t work like that. Besides, she is against going to war. She might be the only thing stopping the council from attacking the west.”

  He stared at her for a long moment before drawing his sword, the ring of the blade echoing in the quiet chamber. “I can’t pass on the opportunity. I eliminate her, and I strike a blow against them.”

  Quinn scrambled between Varius and Wyck and held her palm toward him. “I can’t allow you to kill her.”

  “How are you going to stop me?”

  Quinn drew the dagger strapped to her thigh and held it ready. Wyck snarled and swung his blade in an arc intended to slice Quinn in half. She used her knife to block the blade, but the force of his strike was tremendous, and the dagger flew from one hand while the makeup case fell from the other. He leveled another swing toward her and she leaped onto the bed, rolled across and off it, and grabbed the glowlamp on the nightstand. He turned toward her, and she flung the glowlamp at him. He raised his arm and it struck his bracer, breaking and showering him in glass and glowing blue dust. Other than a glowlamp at the far end of the suite and the light coming through the open door to Quinn’s room, the only light came from the glowing powder on Wyck and on the floor around him.