by James Wisher
“I accepted, of course. Tomorrow at noon between the forest and the north gate.”
Uncle Andy sighed and shook his head. “I know Sig made the challenge and not you, but would you mind backing out?”
Damien cocked his head. He didn’t especially care about Sig one way or the other, but he didn’t want to have to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder, especially since Sig would eventually become a duke. If the king made it a direct order he would have to, but Uncle Andy made it sound like it was his choice.
“I don’t know how I can and retain my honor. He struck me in front of a courtyard full of witnesses. If I back down it will make me seem a coward.”
The duke grabbed his arm and spun Damien around to face him. “Please. I know my son can be difficult and overly proud, but I love him. Please show him mercy.”
The show of fatherly warmth surprised Damien. It appeared even Sig had at least one person that would miss him. Damien sighed. “Do you have another child, my lord?”
The duke flinched and Damien understood how he might have misinterpreted the question. “I have a daughter, three years younger than Sig. Why?”
“I’ll make a bargain with you. You must know Sig lacks the temperament to be a good ruler. If you name your daughter your heir I won’t kill Sig in the duel tomorrow.”
Everyone in the room stared at him.
When he regained the ability to speak the duke said, “You want me to disinherit my son?”
“I don’t care what he inherits as long as it isn’t authority. Bad as he is now, can you imagine Sig with real power? I don’t say this to be cruel, but he’s a bully and as a duke he’d be a nightmare. In your heart you must know what I say is true.”
The duke groaned. “I do know it. I’ve known for years Sigurd wasn’t suited to rule the north, I just lacked the courage to do anything about it. I accept your terms. I’ll name Ingrid my heir and you back out of the duel with Sig.”
“No. I said I wouldn’t kill him and I won’t. But I can’t let him insult the princess and strike me in public. If he gets away with it once he might do it again. And I swear if he touches me again it will be the last time he touches anyone.”
The duke hung his head. “So be it. Excuse me, my king.”
The duke slunk out of the throne room like a whipped dog. When he’d gone the king said, “That wasn’t terribly diplomatic, Damien.”
Jen swatted his shoulder. “Bargaining with a duke, that’s rather bold, little brother.”
Damien looked from one to the other. “I thought I was pretty generous. By law I’m within my rights to simply kill Sig in the duel tomorrow. That would have eliminated him as heir and threat in one go. I figured offering the deal would put the duke in your debt. Should I have just killed him?”
“No, Damien.” Uncle Andy shook his head. “What you did wasn’t the real problem, it was the way you did it. Offering a bargain then dictating the terms to a man as powerful as Duke Iceborn was rude. He’s used to a more subtle touch.”
This was why Damien hated politics. “I’m not good at subtle. I prefer direct and honest. Unless you need me for anything I have to talk to Karrie.”
Uncle Andy waved his hand. “You’ve got a busy day tomorrow. Take the rest of the day to rest. Outstanding work, both of you.”
They both bowed and left the throne room.
When the doors had closed behind them Jen grinned. “I wonder what Karrie will have to say.”
Chapter 46
Karrie paced and chewed her lip. John was right, if she kept this up she’d wear a hole in the rug, but she was too nervous to sit still. A servant had just left after informing her of Damien’s return. It also seemed he’d run into Sig on his way in and they had a confrontation. Sig must have told Damien what she said. He was probably furious.
Someone knocked and she spun to face the door. From the sewing room her mother said, “Get that, won’t you, dear?”
“Yes, Mom.” She straightened her hair and dress, took a breath, and opened it. Damien leaned in the doorway, a little frown on his face. He didn’t look furious, but he didn’t look happy either. “Hi.”
“Hi. Got a minute?”
She stepped aside and waved him in. Karrie went over to the couch and he sat beside her. She clasped her hands together. “How’d your mission go?”
“Fine. I caused a volcano to erupt. It was a first for me. Anything interesting happen while I was gone?”
Talk about a loaded question. “I heard you ran into Sig.”
“I did. He threatened to kill me. Apparently he’s under the impression you and I are engaged. How do you suppose he got a crazy idea like that?”
“About that, I admit I told him. He barged in here and started making demands. He said I was going to marry him like I had nothing to say about it.”
“Imagine that.”
“I know, the irony wasn’t lost on me. Anyway I said the first thing that popped into my head, that I was already going to marry you. He didn’t take it very well.”
“No kidding. I had barely landed when he burst out of the castle and challenged me to a duel. He said the winner would marry you.”
Karrie gritted her teeth. “What did you say?”
“I told him you weren’t a piece of meat for us to fight over and whatever happened you were free to marry whoever you wanted.”
He’d stood up for her. Even after she used him to deflect Sig. Heaven’s mercy, she loved him. Karrie didn’t deserve to marry someone so decent. “You said that?”
“I have an offer for you. If you’re willing to handling the politics and let me stay out in the field as much as I want I’ll accept your proposal.”
Her heart stopped for a moment. He was accepting. Even if he had conditions she couldn’t believe he was accepting. “You’ll marry me? Really?”
Damien nodded. “I can’t stand the idea of anyone treating you the way Sig tried to. I don’t love you, I won’t lie about that, but I do like you. You’re a sweet girl and you deserve better than to be treated like a prize pig at auction. We’ll get engaged and if between now and your eighteenth name day you find someone you prefer, well, that’s fine with me. Deal?”
She stared at him. It wasn’t the most romantic proposal, but he was giving her what she wanted and Karrie wasn’t about to complain. It was really going to happen. She couldn’t believe it.
Karrie leapt at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Damien held her gently and she kissed his cheek. There was no passion in his reaction, but that was fine. They’d made a start and they could build on it. The important thing was they’d taken the first step.
After a moment he let her go. “I need to clean up. Will you be watching the duel tomorrow?”
“Since you’ll be fighting for me it would be rude if I didn’t.” She looked away then back. “Will you be okay? Sig’s really going to try and kill you.”
Damien snorted at that. “I suspect I’ll be fine. It would be easier if I was fighting to kill, but nevertheless I think I can handle it. See you later.”
He stood up and walked out. When the door had closed behind him Karrie leapt up and turned a pirouette. She’d won! Damien would be hers. She heard a noise and a moment later her mother’s arms wrapped around her from behind.
“Congratulations, Karrie. I told you Sig or John would be the key to convincing him. Who would have imagined protective instincts would beat out a hunger of power? He’s a rare boy. As long as you don’t mess up you’ll never have to fear anything again.”
Karrie clasped her mother’s hand. Damien was a rare boy. He wanted nothing from her and he’d even gone out of his way to stand up for her. Karrie wasn’t sure she was worthy of someone like Damien, but she’d do her best to make him happy.
Chapter 47
Damien woke after an excellent night’s sleep, calmer and more relaxed than he had been in weeks. Making a decision about Karrie took a huge weight off his mind. He wasn’t at all certain he’d made
the right choice, but he’d committed now so all he could do was follow through and hope someone swept her off her feet before the vows were spoken. He held little hope of that, but stranger things had happened.
He dressed, headed to the kitchen to collect a pair of breakfast sandwiches, and walked downstairs to check in with his master. Her door was partway open so he stuck his head in.
She looked up from the paper she was reading. “Don’t just stand there, come in. Do I smell bacon?”
He guided the bubble with her sandwich over to the desk. “I figured you’d be so wrapped up in planning that you’d forget to eat, again.”
She devoured a quarter of the sandwich in one bite. “You were right. How come you never bring orange juice?”
He shrugged and dropped into the empty chair. He’d gotten comfortable enough in her presence that he could sit without feeling like it was a breach of protocol. “I didn’t know you liked orange juice. How’s the mission planning going?”
“It’s done. I sent a summons to everyone I want. With any luck everyone will be assembled no later than tomorrow at noon. Speaking of noon, did you really have to fight that blond idiot the day before a major action?”
“It wasn’t my idea. Don’t worry, I can handle Sig and still have plenty of time to recover before tomorrow. I assume you want me to come along?”
“You assume right. You’ll be leading the first squad through the door.”
Damien looked up from his food. “I don’t think caves have doors.”
His master scowled at him. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah. Are you coming to watch the duel?”
She waved a greasy hand. “I don’t have time to waste on that foolishness. Just be careful. Even a weak opponent is dangerous if you underestimate them.”
He stood up. It didn’t look like she had anything for him to do today. “I never underestimate my opponents. What time is the muster, tomorrow?”
“An hour after noon, but I expect you in my office by ten at the latest.”
“Understood. If you need me just send a message.”
She waved a hand and turned her attention back to the papers on her cluttered desk. Damien went outside for some fresh air. He hated the time before a battle. The minutes seemed to drag by.
He traveled the back corridors, meeting no one, following the same path he took last winter when he went looking for Lane. Damien stepped out into the courtyard and flew up on to the wall. He walked the perimeter, looking out over the bustling capital. When he reached the north gate Damien squinted, trying to see past the outer wall. Was Sig there waiting? The arrogant noble didn’t seem like the type to arrive early for a fight.
He sensed a presence a moment before John landed beside him. His old friend had dark circles under his eyes. It didn’t look like he’d gotten much sleep of late.
“I thought I might find you here,” John said. “I can’t believe he challenged you again.”
“Me either. He wanted a duel to the death, but I made a deal with the duke to spare him.”
John cocked his head. “Deal?”
When Damien finished explaining John stared, dumbstruck. “You might better kill him. If his father disinherits him Sig will be devastated.”
Damien couldn’t dredge up much sympathy for the giant Northman. “If he challenges me a third time I’ll do just that.”
John flinched. “Did you talk to Karrie?”
“I agreed to marry her. She seemed pleased.”
“I bet. You don’t seem all that thrilled.”
Damien shrugged. “Not thrilled” described how he felt pretty well. “It’s done now. Maybe it won’t be so bad. At least she won’t be nagging me all the time.”
“Not about that at least.”
They shared a laugh.
Chapter 48
Damien landed at the appointed place, a flat patch of ground with trampled grass. Behind him the castle battlements were crowded with people that wanted to watch the two sorcerers duel. This sort of thing usually happened at the arena near The Tower, so it was a rare chance for non-sorcerers to watch a duel. When he flew over Damien had spotted the king and his family along with John, Jen, and a morose Duke Iceborn. Karrie waved when he flew over and Damien returned the gesture. She looked so happy and he wished he shared the feeling. The more time that passed since he agreed to her proposal the more he feared he’d made a horrible mistake.
He was saved from further brooding by the arrival of a familiar giant form. Sig cut a gallant figure in his blue and white tunic and matching trousers, a pale blue, fur-trimmed cloak billowing behind him. Damien had seen no point in dressing up and so he wore a rumpled black tunic he’d fished out of his rucksack.
“Ready to die, runt?” Sig asked.
Damien sighed. Why did everything have to be a production? “Let’s get on with it.”
Sig drew power and conjured a fifteen-foot-tall bear with exaggerated fangs and claws. The construct threw its head back in a silent roar. The bear charged, tearing up clods of dirt as it raced toward Damien.
Damien frowned and a massive blade of soul force appeared in the air in front of him. With a wave of his hand the blade sliced the bear in half and scattered its energy around the battlefield in a shower of sparks. He reabsorbed the soul force in his blade and raised an eyebrow at Sig. “Is that it?”
Sig snarled and hurled a blast of raw soul force at Damien. An angled shield appeared in front of Damien, sending the blast ricocheting off into the nearby forest. An explosion sent bits of shattered trees flying. Impressive, he hadn’t thought Sig capable of generating that much power. His shield vanished when Damien absorbed the power. Sig gasped for air, an incredulous look on his once-haughty face.
“You want to call that good?” Damien asked. Even to someone as dense as Sig the futility of continuing the battle had to be obvious.
“I’m far from done.” Power flowed around Sig’s hands and he hurled a rapid succession of golden daggers at Damien.
Their power was so weak Damien didn’t even bother with an extra barrier. The daggers broke on his personal shield one after another until Sig fell to his knees.
“Why? Those were my best attacks.” Sig hung his head and Damien feared he might start crying again. “Are you really that much stronger than me?”
“Yes.” Damien spoke with a complete lack of emotion or pride. His power was nothing to be proud of. He was born the strongest of his generation. No amount of training would make him any more powerful than he was when he came into the world. From the moment you’re born to the moment you die, barring a demon contract, your power was fixed. What you did with it was what mattered.
“Go see your father,” Damien said. “I know he’s worried about you. And don’t challenge me again.”
“Wait! This was supposed to be a duel to the death.”
“If you’re so eager to die find someone else to kill you. I’m not interested in the job.” Damien leapt into the air and flew back to the castle. He needed to prepare for the real battle tomorrow. Somehow he doubted Connor Blackman would go down as easy as Sig.
Chapter 49
Connor rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought, as he sat alone in his library. He hated waiting for news, but he could only be in one place at a time and right now he had to rely on his subordinates to complete their tasks before he could activate the crystal and begin summoning his army. He sighed. It truly was a nuisance, but what can you do?
He got up off the black chair and strolled around the shelves, pausing now and then to caress a favored item. The black gem emitted a shadowy spark when he brushed it. He still remembered vividly the day Morana had picked it up and started tossing it from one hand to the other. How she’d screamed when he corrected her. It had been a shame to scar up that lovely, pale skin, but you couldn’t expect your servants to learn if you didn’t provide the proper correction.
Mikhail’s presence jangled his nerves. Connor frowned. He hadn’t expected the bla
ck knight back so soon. Something must have gone wrong. If Mikhail was involved there was no other conclusion possible. He returned to the black chair and shook his head. Whatever mistake his unreliable servant had made, Connor would rectify it. Nothing would stop him from completing his great task.
Mikhail staggered through the library entrance, his armor charred and ash covered. It looked like someone had roasted him over a bonfire, a really hot one.
“Master.” He staggered over and collapsed to his knees. “The druid has failed and the cave is lost.”
“Damn it!” Connor leapt to his feet. He needed that cave and the repositioned ley lines to power his crystal. “We must reclaim it.”
Mikhail shook his head. “Gone. The boy destroyed it with me inside. I only survived by the slimmest margins.”
“The same boy that defeated you before?”
“Yes, Master.”
Connor snarled. This youth was getting to be a pain. “What of Eleck?”
“Taken prisoner. I fear he lacks the will to resist questioning.”
That was a considerable understatement. Eleck had less spine than a jellyfish. If anyone questioned him hard he’d tell them everything he knew. “This place is finished. We need to move, now.”
“Yes, Master.” Mikhail struggled to stand and failed.
His servant was useless in this condition. Connor grabbed him by the breastplate and yanked him to his feet. The warlock poured a small measure of his power into the demon armor. Mikhail straightened at once.
“Thank you, Master.”
“Keep silent. I have too much to do on my own. Collect the artifacts and place them in the trunks for transport. Carefully. If anything’s damaged I’ll shred what’s left of your soul. And leave the black gem. I’ll have need of it before we leave.”
While Mikhail packed Connor collected his three remaining crystal birds and set about warning his servants not to return to this place. He looked at the three tiny messengers. He’d lost so many of his minions over the past year, most to the same brat of a boy. It defied reason that someone so young could cause so much trouble. No matter, he’d deal with the brat in due course. For now he needed to find a place to set up the crystal. He had one option left, but it involved doing the one thing he hated most: swallowing his pride.