The Chain Breaker: Books 1-3

by Holmberg, D. K.

  Gavin walked over to them. “What are you going on about?”

  “Your friend. He has skillful sorcery.”

  “I don’t think Cyran is a sorcerer.”

  “What we just experienced would suggest otherwise.”

  He looked back at Gaspar, and the old thief frowned at him. Gavin knew what he was thinking.

  Was Cyran tied to the sorcerer who had called us out into the forest?

  He paused a moment in the doorway. It felt as if he had been here only a little while ago, but the home almost seemed empty. There was an air of nothingness, of staleness here. As he breathed it in, he couldn’t tell whether it was something that Cyran had done intentionally or whether there was something about this place that had changed.

  He headed toward the kitchen. Anna tried to reach for him, but Gavin moved forward, keeping the El’aras dagger out in front of him. If there was other sorcery here, the dagger would alert him.

  The kitchen was empty. He pulled open the cupboards, but there was nothing in them. Cyran had cleared out of here.

  “He’s gone,” he whispered.

  “He knew you would come,” Anna said.

  “Either that or he thought I wasn’t a threat anymore.” He looked up. “If he poisoned me, he must have thought I wasn’t going to recover.”

  “Without the sh’rasn, you would not have.”

  Cyran had been willing to kill him. Anger started to fill Gavin. All this time, out of all the people he’d known while training with Tristan, Cyran was the one person he never would’ve believed could do that.

  Cyran had gotten out. Worse, if he was now some sort of sorcerer, or at least someone who had magic, then he was going to be far more difficult to remove as a threat.

  “The Shard isn’t here,” Anna said.

  She and Thomas headed toward the door, and Gavin held his hand up. “Wait.”

  “For what? Your friend is no longer here. There is nothing for us to do other than continue our search for the Shard. It must be recovered.”

  “What if I have a way?”

  “How?” Anna asked.

  An idea started to form in his head. “If Cyran was the employer, then that means Hamish is still out there. He’s the key to this.”

  Somehow, they would have to find him, though Gavin wasn’t at all sure how that would work. When he’d gone looking for Hamish in the past, he’d failed. But he’d done it without the El’aras.

  They needed Hamish too. They could use him and get whatever answers they had to in order to find Cyran. Cyran would answer for what he’d done to Gavin.

  “You don’t know how to reach him,” Anna said. “You told me that you didn’t have any access to him.”

  “I don’t, but we still have the one thing we were planning before.”

  “What is that?”

  “Your death. The problem is that I think we’re going to have to prove it to him.”

  She watched him for a moment and then closed the door before looking over at Thomas. “For the Shard, I think this will be necessary.”

  Chapter Twenty

  The low-roofed stone building loomed in front of them. It was one of the oldest buildings in the city, designed at a time before Yoran had banished all magic. As Gavin neared, there was a feeling of power coming off of it, a tingle that suggested there was magic still worked into the stone. The stone itself was a dark gray, so different than other stone buildings within the city. It had an angled roof, and though it was a single story, it still seemed to tower over the nearby buildings. There was no sign of any activity along the street. No people, and thankfully no constables. Not that he expected patrols around the morgue, and definitely not at night.

  Gaspar followed him in silence, though Gavin wondered if there was anything for Gaspar to even say to him. It was a strange plan, and he no longer knew whether or not it was the right one.

  “How is it that you know how to find this place?” Gavin whispered.

  Gaspar looked over at him, arching a brow. “I’ve lived in the city a long time,” he said.

  “That’s not an answer.”

  “It’s all the answer you’re going to get.”

  Gavin laughed. In the darkness and in the night, the laugh sounded strange, almost hollow. He had to be careful. He knew he should be moving more quietly than he was.

  But who would ever think anyone would attempt to break into a place like this?

  He reached the door and tried the lock, and he was surprised to find it was sealed. “Why would they even keep it closed?”

  “To keep people like us out,” Gaspar said.

  “Really?” Gavin asked, arching a brow at him.

  “Probably more to keep thieves from coming for their belongings.”

  “That sounds more likely, and it sounds more like the kind of thing you’ve done before.”

  “I’ve never robbed from the dead,” Gaspar said. He looked at Gavin, a flash of anger burning in his eyes.

  Gavin raised his hand, trying to ward him off. “I wasn’t saying—”

  “I know what you’re saying. And I’m telling you my answer. It’s the only answer.”

  “You don’t have to be so touchy about it.”

  “There are some things that aren’t made light of,” Gaspar said.

  “If you say so.”

  “I do.”

  Gavin stepped off to the side to let him press his hand against the door. Gaspar reached into his pocket and pulled something out from underneath his cloak, which he shoved into the lock, twisting gently. With a soft click, the door opened. They crept inside, and Gavin closed the door behind him. A wave of cold washed over him, causing him to frown.

  Gaspar looked over. “Enchantments,” he said.

  “I thought the city didn’t care for magic.”

  “Enchantments are different. Besides, how do you think they keep the bodies preserved?”

  “I don’t even know why they would care.”

  “Do you think the families of the dead want to come and find their loved ones decomposing?” Gaspar shook his head. “Enchantments keep this room and this building cold. It gives them time to make the arrangements.”

  “For a city that hates magic as much as this one does, I find that interesting.”

  “You would be surprised about Yoran.”

  “Other enchantments?”

  “More than you would believe,” Gaspar whispered.

  They walked along the hall. It was empty, but there remained a strange, almost unpleasant sense within the room. Gavin had been responsible for sending plenty of people here. In that case, he supposed he should be curious about it, but he felt only uncertainty.

  They reached a door at the end of the hall. Gaspar pressed his hand on it, then twisted the lock before shoving the door open.

  There was a man inside. The priest was dressed in a dark gray robe. A silver necklace hung from his neck, likely with a symbol for the Star, the god the people of Yoran followed. He was rotund, filling out his robe, and stood between two tables in the center of the room. He looked up the moment they entered, his pasty face going slack and his eyes widening as he reached into his pocket.

  Gaspar froze.

  Gavin didn’t.

  He darted inside, twisting while pulling one of his knives free and heading straight toward the man.

  “No!” Gaspar hissed.

  Gavin shot a look over his shoulder and spun, flipping his knife and slamming the hilt into the man’s forehead. He crumpled to the ground.

  Gaspar sighed as he crossed the room to join him. “I thought you were going to kill him.”

  “Because he deserved it? He’s a priest who’s making preparations for families. He doesn’t deserve to die. What now?”

  “Now we find what we need,” Gaspar said.

  Gavin looked around the inside of the room. Cupboards lined all of the walls. A table rested in the middle of the room, and a naked man lay atop it. The priest that he’d knocked unconscious had been
working on this man, but there was nothing else here.

  Gavin frowned, turning to Gaspar. “Where do we look?”

  “Where do you think? Here. Find a body that you think will work.”

  Gavin shook his head. “I don’t see any bodies here.”

  “Look in the cupboards. Dammit, boy, do I have to do everything for you?”

  “Seeing as how you’re far more familiar with this place than I am, maybe you do,” Gavin said, a hint of a smile on his face.

  Gaspar glared at him.

  Gavin went to the cupboards and pulled one of them open. A blast of icy air hit him as a cart with a body on it slid out. He looked at the older man lying on the table. This wouldn’t work.

  “They don’t have anything like this in other cities,” he muttered.

  “No? What do they do with their dead?”

  “Most of the time, they’re buried before they reach the point of decomposition.”

  “In Yoran, the priests of the Star want to have the time to properly prepare for the afterlife. Before this was here, they had to prepare them quickly. It preoccupied most of the priests’ time, and they found they were less efficient.”

  “I didn’t realize there was an issue with priestly efficiency.”

  “Do you think preparing for the afterlife is the only thing the priests do?” Gaspar asked.

  “I’ll be honest and tell you that I haven’t thought a whole lot about anything the priests do.”

  “Given that you’ve been responsible for placing some of these people here, I’d think you’d give some thought to it.”

  Gavin shook his head. “Maybe some, but not much.”

  He started going through the cupboards, pulling one after another open. Most of the dead were older men and women. They needed somebody who would resemble Anna closely enough for the illusion to hold and to be compelling.

  “We aren’t going to find anyone,” Gavin said.

  “Just keep looking.”

  “I am looking. I’m also noticing that everybody here seems to be of a certain age. That makes it a little difficult for one of the El’aras illusion enchantments to be effective.”

  “What would you rather do?” Gaspar asked. “Would you rather go hunting through the street to find somebody else to sacrifice for this assignment of yours?”

  Gavin frowned, turning to face him. “Is that what you think of me?”

  “I’m not entirely sure what to think of you. Isn’t that the kind of work you do?”

  “I take only specific jobs. Not all involve killing.” Enough had though lately. That Cyran had been involved made that less of a coincidence than it once had felt like to him.

  “I’m sure you do,” Gaspar said, turning his attention back to the cupboards. He opened them quickly, quietly, pulling the cart out long enough to look inside before shoving it back in. Despite his obvious frustration, he managed to work much more quietly than Gavin.

  “I do,” Gavin said softly.

  Gaspar looked up at him. “I’ve seen men like you come through Yoran before. I’ve seen men like you stop at the Dragon before. Hotheaded, and more often than not getting involved in things they shouldn’t.”

  “That much is true,” Gavin mumbled, opening another cupboard and finding the older man’s body unusable.

  “Then you come here, and you start spending time with Jessica. Usually, she’s a much better judge of character.”

  “You don’t think she is?”

  “Usually,” Gaspar said.

  “And?”

  “And it led to her getting hurt. Damn near killed. All because of you.” Gaspar looked over, locking eyes with him. “All I’m saying is I don’t care for that.”

  “I don’t care for that either,” Gavin said.

  “Right. Because an assassin like you wants nothing more than killing.”

  “Not an assassin,” Gavin whispered. “And have you seen what I’ve done since we were attacked?”

  “I have, which is the only reason I’m with you here.”

  “That can’t be the only reason.”

  Gaspar shook his head, pulling open another cupboard and pausing. He stared for a moment before slamming the cart back into the cupboard. “That isn’t the only reason.” He turned to Gavin. “I haven’t decided whether or not you should walk out of here.”

  “Really?” Gavin shifted toward him.

  He was old, but there was something deceptive about his age, along with his skill level. Gavin suspected that the man would pose an interesting challenge if they were to face off. Not that he wanted to fight Gaspar.

  He had helped Gavin. Maybe he’d done it because of a desire to protect Jessica, and maybe he’d done it because there’d been no other choice. Either way, they’d worked together.

  “Tell me,” Gaspar said, looking at Gavin, “what makes you so different?”

  Gavin looked around the inside of the building, and he shook his head. “Perhaps nothing. You might be right. I’m not all that different. I’ve been responsible for putting people here. It’s just…”

  He opened another cupboard and pulled the cart out. He glanced down, his breath catching. It was a younger woman. She didn’t look exactly like Anna, but with her blonde hair and her overall figure, she had a passing resemblance. The wound to her abdomen suggested she’d been stabbed.

  Gavin clenched his jaw.

  “What is it?” Gaspar asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “It’s not nothing. I can see from your expression that there’s something.”

  “Obviously, considering your opinion of me, it doesn’t matter,” Gavin said.

  “You don’t even know my opinion of you.”

  “In the last few moments, you’ve made it quite clear what you think of me and how you’re considering dealing with me.”

  Gavin pulled the cart out a little further, looking at the woman. She was going to work. This was going to work.

  “If you think you can overwhelm me, make a go at it, but don’t make passing threats,” he continued. “I’ve dealt with enough of those in my time to know better.” He looked up and frowned at Gaspar, who stood across from him and said nothing. “If you’re going to help me remove the cloud that hangs over the Dragon—and Jessica—then grab an arm and help me carry her.”

  Gaspar hesitated, watching Gavin for a long moment before shaking his head. “Damn,” he whispered.

  “What?”

  “Still can’t get a read on you, boy.”

  “No? Then stay nearby. Maybe you’ll get a better chance to do so.”

  Gavin slipped an arm underneath one side of the body and waited. Gaspar did the same on the other side, and together they lifted her. She was heavy—heavier than he would’ve expected.

  “That’s part of the preparation,” Gaspar said. “They ready the body for the afterlife.”

  “What did they do, inject lead into her?”

  “I don’t really know. I’m not one of the priests. All I know is that it’s part of the process.”

  Gavin frowned as they dragged her off the cart. He paused to kick the cart back into place and close the cupboard, and when they reached the door, he glanced back.

  So much of this room relied upon the dead, much like so much of his life and training prepared him for the dead. It was a strange thing to see, but stranger still that he had a hand in much of it. Perhaps not so much of those here, but in general.

  They approached the main door. As they reached it, a shout came from behind.

  “Time to hurry,” Gavin whispered, and Gaspar grunted in agreement.

  They kicked open the door and hurried out into the street, pulling the body along with them. They tried to prop her up so that she was hanging between them, but it would appear strange to anyone who might pass by. Gavin motioned for them to stop.

  “We can’t drag a naked woman through the street,” he said as he slipped his cloak off and threw it around the body.

  “Probably not,” Gaspar sai
d. “Though, in a place like Yoran, that wouldn’t be the strangest thing ever seen.”

  Gavin chuckled, and they moved as fast as they could, given the awkward situation.

  “We can’t take her back to the Dragon,” Gaspar said.

  “I don’t have any intention of taking her there. I have a better idea.”

  “Where?”

  “We need to prepare for the meeting.”

  “I’m not going out there at this time of night,” Gaspar said, glancing toward the distant forest. It was just visible along the street, and the darkness swirled around it.

  “Are you afraid?” Gavin asked.

  “Aren’t you?”

  “Let’s see. A sorcerer attacked us out there. I’ve been poisoned by my friend—who might also be the one employing me. Then there’s the danger that lives within the forest in general. You’re damn right I’m afraid.” Gavin laughed. “But I still don’t think we need to be worried about the forest. At least, not the outskirts. The real danger lies deeper within.”

  “What real danger? The El’aras?”

  Gavin shook his head. “There are things that are more frightening than even the El’aras.”

  They reached the edge of the forest and paused. Gavin glanced behind him and saw movement coming toward them. He motioned for Gaspar to follow him, and they plunged into the trees.

  “Now would be a good time for Anna to come,” Gavin whispered.

  “Now you want one of the El’aras here?”

  “She might be helpful in this situation.”

  “You are a strange boy,” Gaspar said.

  “You have no idea.”

  “What happens if this goes wrong?”

  Gavin looked over at him but didn’t have an answer. Gaspar grunted as he shifted the woman’s weight. They were under the canopy of the trees. Gavin tried to figure out how far they had to carry her before they could leave her so they could stop and rest. They had to stay far enough on the outskirts of the forest to ensure that she wouldn’t be discovered by animals, but they also had to go deep enough that no one would find her before they returned. Either that, or one of them had to stay with her overnight.

  “It’s not as if you have the best record with these sorts of things,” Gaspar said. “What happens if the body doesn’t look enough like the El’aras woman? The sorcerer decides to attack, and the rest of us become targets. What do you do then?”