To Kill a Wizard: Rose's Story (The Protectors of Tarak Book 1)

by Lisa Morrow

  He shook his head, frowning. “I’m still wrapping my mind around the fact that the kingdom I’ve lived in all my life has been surrounded by bloodthirsty Undead wizards, and I haven’t known it. Besides the fact that you spoke to a goddess. And now, you want me to believe that I’m somehow the answer to all of this?”

  I pulled my hands free of his and reached up to touch his cheeks. His laughter died. “I know this is a lot to take, but I think they might stop the fight if they see one of their own kind on our side.”

  It hit him in one moment, and he was stumbling back from me. “Are you asking me to fight alongside The Protectors?”

  Anger coursed through me. The Protectors had hurt me too. I wasn’t proud to be one of them, but I could get beyond my own feelings to save lives. And, I had to believe the man I loved could too.

  “Look, Asher,” I said, my voice sharp and angry even to my own ears. “The Protectors took my mother and my best friend, but I won’t let my hatred of them stop me from doing the right thing. Will you?”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’d rather see Tarak fall than fight with them.”

  “And me? Will you sit by and let me die?”

  His expression hardened. “No one is making you side with those monsters.”

  I took a deep breath, swallowing the urge to scream. “Tonight, I’ll go to a city on the outskirts of Tarak called Sereus, and I’ll fight alongside The Protectors. If you decide to grow up, channel your magic into the middle of the portal and think of Sereus, and it will lead you to me.”

  “I won’t be there.”

  I shrugged, glaring at him. “I guess you can just wait here for the Undead wizards to kill you, your mother, and your friends.”

  His eyes narrowed. “At least I won’t die surrounded by witches.”

  “You’re a selfish coward you know that?” I spat.

  My words cracked his angry shell, and sadness rushed over his face. “Don’t say that.” He stared down at the cloak in his hands. “If what you’re saying is true, then we can use the portal to get to a town close to the water. We can take my mom with us on a boat, and escape this place.”

  I took a deep breath. “I couldn’t live with myself if I did that. Could you?”

  He said nothing.

  I turned away from him, racing back the way we’d come. I thought I heard the sound of my name, but it could’ve been the wind rushing in my ears.

  When I finally made it to the portal, I waited. Hating myself for hoping he’d follow.

  But he never did.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “So, we have a chance to defeat them?” Blair said, staring blankly at the untouched food in front of her.

  Meisha shifted in the chair beside her. “But the wizards are too powerful. They will defeat us.”

  Their conversation came to me as if from far away, and my eyes slid to the picture of the woman beside the fire. “Who’s the woman?” I asked, my voice slurred.

  I felt Blair’s gaze on me. “Servants,” she ordered. “Bring her some Oryens’ Potion.”

  “She looks evil,” I muttered.

  “She’s not,” Blair responded, quickly and sharply. “She was the leader of The Protectors before me, and a very fine woman. Not many people are willing to die for what is right, but she did.”

  Meisha looked away, but I couldn’t tear my gaze from Blair. It wasn’t her anger that kept me mesmerized, it was the underlying emotion, brimming just behind her eyes, making her voice waver ever so slightly.

  I had a sudden urge to comfort her, coming and going in an instant. No, I didn’t want to comfort Blair. I wanted to open the connection between Asher and myself, to not feel so terribly alone, at least for a moment. But as much as I wanted to reach for him, I couldn’t, and that knowledge was like a painful splinter buried deep within my heart.

  “You should have slept and ate since your time with the Oracle,” Meisha whispered, drawing me from my misery. “That drink is not good for you.”

  “We all must make sacrifices, whether we want to or not.” Blair’s words held an oddly numb quality.

  A servant came and placed a thick drink the color of unripe cabbage in front of me. Already the smell, like a rancid stew drifted up to me. It would taste bad, the memory was still clear in my mind, but it’d also make my mind and body aches vanish in an instant. So, taking a deep breath, I chugged the glass.

  For several seconds, I thought I’d hurl it back up as lemon and overcooked cabbage assaulted my taste buds, but then it settled in my stomach, and my muscles spasmed and relaxed. My mind sharpened back onto our conversation, and what I wanted to say.

  “All we can do is fight.” I said, reaching out, but not quite touching Blair.

  Her shoulders shook. “I’m so tired of fighting, always fighting.”

  I glanced uncertainly at Meisha, wondering at what mystery lay behind Blair’s unpredictable emotions.

  Blair inclined her head, staring openly at me for an awkward moment. “This battle has been cursed from the very beginning. Did you know that?”

  Meisha took a deep breath before speaking slowly. “All battles are doomed when you fight on the wrong side.”

  Her words cut right through Blair. She sagged down in her chair, suddenly looking very old.

  “A battle fought for revenge isn’t in the right either,” I said, struggling to maintain my certainty.

  Blair turned to the fire. “No. You weren’t there. Those wizards, man, boy, and baby. All dead.” Her voice wavered. “So many loved ones lost.”

  Something snapped into place for me, something I hadn’t known was missing from my understanding of these women and their battle. Guilt followed them like shadows. They blamed themselves for the deaths of the wizards, so even though they fought them like enemies, in truth, they saw the wizards as victims.

  “So what are we supposed to do then?” I asked, looking between Meisha and Blair.

  They reeked of defeat. In their minds, no matter the outcome of the battle, they would lose. And no amount of pompous pretending could hide the truth in that moment.

  “So, you’ll let more innocents die to soothe your guilt?”

  Blair ran her fingers along the top of the table, tracing the burn marks her hands had left. “No, we’ll fight. But, we won’t plan on winning.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Blair’s fingers stopped, and she straightened slowly in her chair. “I’ll inform the queen, and she’ll evacuate those people deemed too important to die.”

  She rose, rubbing a tired hand against her cheek and headed towards the hallway.

  “Wait! What of our plan?”

  She froze and looked back at me. “We’ll have The Protectors gather along Tarak’s border, with the most powerful at Sereus, where they’ll likely concentrate their attack. And we will wait.”

  “And what if they don’t attack at Sereus?”

  Blair laughed bitterly. “Oh, they will. They want a bloody battle. They want to face us head on.”

  “And will you be there?”

  She stilled.

  The two women exchanged a meaningful glance.

  Tears glinted in Blair’s eyes. “I’m going to try to be there… even if it costs me my life.”

  Silently, she disappeared down the hall, but her words lingered.

  “What’s she going to do?” I asked, turning to Meisha.

  She stared at where Blair had left, lowering her voice. “She is going to try to break the queen’s hold over her. To go against a command made by the wielder of her True Name.”

  I frowned. “Is that possible?”

  Meisha’s amber-eyed gaze met mine. “I do not know. I have never heard of a person doing it and surviving.”

  A rush of concern came over me. Would Blair really risk her life just to come to a battle she’d likely die at?

  I pushed my feeling aside. We were all risking our lives, in one way or another.

  “They will sound the be
ll of war any moment, to prepare the women. You should get some sleep. There is nothing more you can do right now.”

  As if Meisha’s words brought it to life, the bell rang through The Glass Castle. The building seemed to shudder with the strength of the low vibrations. I left the dining hall and wandered into the halls where women moved with stiff limbs out into the courtyard. Hurrying past them, I heard Thea, a woman I’d ran into many times in the practice rooms, shouting of war.

  Standing on a large stone, her long blonde hair was tied back from her angular face, but excitement softened her masculine face. One of her thick arms was lifted above her, the dark tattoos standing out against her pale skin.

  Her enthusiasm ran through the crowd like a wave, but still, no one could match the warrior’s glow within Thea.

  I smiled and moved out of the doorway, so others could file past me into the courtyard. She was a ruthless warrior, and I was glad, at least, that the captain of our troops hadn’t accepted defeat.

  Shuffling down the hall and up the stairs, I lost myself in thought until I reached the confines of my room. Taking off my boots, I crawled beneath the covers and hoped for sleep to find me, but Oryen’s Potion coursed through my veins, leaving me strangely energized even with so little sleep.

  Eventually, I gave up trying to sleep, rising and going to my wardrobe. Inside, a number of either practical or extravagant dresses stared back at me, but my gaze focused on a pair of trousers and a shirt. Before I came to The Glass Castle, I’d never considered wearing men’s clothing. But Clarissa was right, even in training I’d realized how frustrating a dress could be while fighting.

  With hesitant fingers, I stripped off my dress and replaced it with the white shirt and brown trousers. I put on boots lined with soft fur, and a brown cloak to match.

  Finally, I pushed the clothes aside and opened the small door in the back of my wardrobe. It was a secret hiding place Clarissa had placed weapons for me. I took the belt, then picked up the sword and dagger in their sheaths. They were lighter than the ones I trained with and felt more natural as I gripped their hilts. Putting them on my belt, I stood for a moment, adjusting to their weight.

  Taking a deep breath, I turned and walked slowly to the mirror in my room. The face staring back at me was determined and ready. I brushed my hair and stared at the two roses on the windowsill.

  There were a lot of reasons I’d decided to fight, but Sirena was the most important one. If I won this battle, I could save her. She’d have her life back, and I’d have her. There was nothing I wanted more than that.

  My thoughts slid to Asher, but I pushed them aside. I couldn’t be distracted by him now, or my resolve might weaken.

  Carefully, I secured my hair back using my best friend’s barrette.

  Now I was ready for battle. I hoped.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  I entered through the portal to Sereus and was surprised by the silence that greeted me. I’d expected to see warriors guarding the area, but quickly realized how foolish such an idea had been. The true danger lay in what was outside of Tarak, not within.

  Even though it was a great relief to no longer trudge through snow, I moved slowly, strangely alert in the unnatural silence. The sun had climbed low in the west, peeking beneath the trees. It lit the white of the trunks, and the blue of the leaves, but somehow deepened the unnatural, crisp shadows.

  “Rose?”

  I spun at the heart-wrenching sound of his voice.

  Asher stood in the shadows cast by one of the trees, his sword in hand. The magical darkness hid him as if it were night, so he was little more than an outline of a man.

  Uncertainty uncurled inside of me. If our walls had been down, maybe I could’ve sensed his feelings. But between the shadows and the separation created by our own magic, I had no idea what he was thinking or feeling.

  “You came,” I said, trying to keep all emotion from my words as I squinted into the shadows, trying to read his face.

  He re-sheathed his blade and stepped into the evening light. “I had to.” Guilt flashed across his face. “I couldn’t let you fight alone.”

  Being without him had hurt somewhere deep inside, but missing our connection altogether had been even worse. I’d missed him, so much it was a physical aching each moment of my day. But now, he was standing in front of me, and even the small space between us was too much to bear.

  Something snapped inside me. I raced to him, throwing myself into his arms.

  He held me close. His touch saying all the things he couldn’t.

  My head rested against his chest, listening to the racing of his heart. For a long time we stood together, saying nothing, until at last I couldn’t bear it any longer.

  Glancing up into his face, hesitation and concern marred his brow. I kissed his cheek, willing him to trust me, even while I lied to him.

  He smiled, his charming half-smile that made my heart beat fast and slow all at once. “You’re wearing pants.”

  Blushing, I took a step away from him and glanced down. “I thought it was more practical than a dress in battle.”

  “And the sword and dagger?” he asked, gesturing at the weapons on my belt.

  Imagines of my practices with Meisha and Clarissa swam through my mind. What would Asher think if he saw me fight? I hoped he’d be impressed.

  I grinned hesitantly. “I thought they might be useful too.”

  “I don’t like the idea of you fighting,” he said, frowning.

  I set my hand on the stubble along his cheek. “You know I have to. For Sirena. And because Sazar and his men can’t be allowed back in Tarak.”

  “I know,” he pressed his hand against mine. “But when this is all over, I want to be with you.”

  “You’re my One. Of course we’ll be together.”

  That was if he still wanted me after he learned the truth.

  His hand tensed around mine, as if he was reading my thoughts.

  I nibbled on my bottom lip. “Why are you here?”

  He smiled. “Because, whether it’s magic, or just you, I couldn’t stay away.”

  I straightened and met his gaze. “Does this mean you’ve found some peace with The Protectors?”

  “Of course not,” he said, tightening his grip on me. “But I understand you have to work with them.”

  “What about your sister?”

  This time, he let me go. “I won’t discuss her.”

  “But, love…”

  “Love can forgive you working with Protectors to save all of Tarak. It can’t forgive a traitor.”

  His words were like a blow. I turned away from him and stared down at the leather piece, which hid the Protector’s mark on my wrist.

  When he discovered the truth, he would not forgive me. I was leading him to war, to a battle we were expected to lose. He might die for me, and I was lying to him. And yet, he could stop the battle from even starting, he could save countless lives. What was I to do?

  “Rose,” he whispered, touching the small of my back. “We don’t have time to talk of sisters and traitors. We need to prepare for this battle. My mother and village wait to see if this is going to be their final day.”

  “So,” I said, lifting my head, but not looking back at him. “You’re fighting for your home.”

  “And for you,” he said, gently.

  His words brought tears to my eyes, but I pushed them down. “Then, we should hurry.”

  He took my hand as we walked, and I fought the urge to pull away. “What will happen now?” he asked, watching me closely.

  I took a second to steady my voice. “We’ll go to Norma. She’s The Protector who runs this village. We’ll tell her our plan and see what she thinks.”

  He frowned. “Can we trust her?”

  The same thought crossed my mind. “In a few hours darkness is going to fall, and the Undead wizards will attack. I’m sure she’ll do anything to help our odds.”

  He was silent for a moment. “Why is there blood o
n some of the trees?”

  My mind flashed back to my first battle in Sereus. Norma slashing her stomach open. Falling against the tree. The white sweeping over the lands. Her people transforming into monsters, as The Protector became a she-demon, leading our side.

  “I’m not sure,” I said, swallowing my sickness. “It might be to warn people away, or it might have something to do with Norma’s powers.”

  “Her powers? Are they like yours?”

  I stiffened, trying not to feel offended by his question. “No, Protectors aren’t like wizards. Their powers aren’t just stronger or weaker; they differ in the kind as well.”

  “So how are hers different from yours?”

  “They’re completely different,” I said, sharply, and then softened my voice. “She can transform herself and the villagers into terrifying creatures, and I can use the goddesses’ names.”

  To my surprise, it was my powers that brought questions.

  “What do you mean use the goddesses’ names? I mean, I saw you use a name when you freed me, but I just assumed you mainly did the basic things: take strength and give strength, move and control things with your mind, things like that.”

  “Is that what you can do?” I asked, giving myself some time to think.

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Yes. I can do all of those things, and more.”

  I hadn’t expected that. “How did you learn them so quickly?”

  After a moment, he whispered, “Blair taught me.”

  I stopped walking and turned to him.

  He avoided my gaze. “When I was a prisoner, she visited me more than I led on. She didn’t tell me why, but she taught me to use my powers. She also said I was stronger than most wizards and Protectors.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? When you showed me the tree, I thought that was all you knew.” Hurt laced my words.

  He took my hand. “I didn’t think you would understand. Blair and I, we weren’t friends. But when you’re trapped in a cell all day, seeing only one person, who offers to teach you how to use your magic, well…”

  “You really thought I wouldn’t understand?”