“Move!” Saskia shouted.
He grabbed Ritsuko and pulled her aside. The door flew open with the snap of tearing wood, slamming against his back and knocking them both to the corner. There was a deafening hiss, a scream, and a billowing cloud of steam filled the bathroom.
Hu pulled them to their feet, one in each hand. Saskia gestured as she strode toward the shattered door; the growing pool of water spiraled before her in a torrent that formed a transparent sheet, so it was as if she walked through a living mirror that flowed with her every movement. The wind spirits sang back to her, a chilling call if he’d ever heard one. Glad she’s on our side.
The wall of water swept through the doorway, carrying the smaller elementals with it. A huge salamander withstood the onslaught, facing Mikani with a ferocity he partly understood. More water rushed from the broken pipes. Since there was no drainage in the room, the flow was forced into the corridors as if they were indoor canals. Saskia added the weight of her familiars to the current, creating small funnels to douse the flames whenever the salamander flared with murderous intent. The creature’s eyes glowed red as hot coals, its talons raking charred lines on the stone as it fought to hold ground.
Gambit successful.
With any luck, the soldiers would be faring better now with the enemy weakened. It would be hard for any sparks to catch; everything was damp, and Saskia was blowing the water around to ensure that everything was doused. Good thinking, that.
Hu tapped Mikani on the shoulder. “Stay with the captain. Evans and I will break all the plumbing we find in here.”
When he was sure the way had cleared, Hu led Evans out of the room. Mikani followed, his hand on Ritsuko’s arm to help balance on the wet floor. She was obviously limping and in pain; after a few steps, he picked her up.
He gazed down into her surprised face. “I’m not letting you fall again, Ritsuko.”
To his surprise, she didn’t protest. A few minutes later, a cold wave washed over his feet.
They must have found another lavatory. Saskia rounded the corner ahead. She spread her arms and unleashed her artificial storm: wind and water buffeted the salamanders and soldiers with a muted roar and cries of surprise and pain from the elementals. Two turned and scrambled toward the mines, scrambling over the walls as their flaming skin flickered and steamed.
The last elemental stood its ground. It nearly filled the corridor, easily twice as long as Hu was tall and nearly as broad. Its six limbs clawed at the ceiling and floor as it stood its ground against the tempest, screaming its rage. It spat out a flame burst, but the wind sent it careening against a wall in a burst of sparks and smoke. Saskia flinched from the muted explosion, and the elemental took advantage of the brief opening to bound past them and toward the exit.
“Hells and Winter . . .” Deal with it later. Need to stop any more from coming out. He pushed away from the wall, shifting his hold on Ritsuko. “Are you hurt?”
“Nothing that can’t wait until later.” From her pained, false smile, he knew it was worse than she was letting on.
He was tempted to read her, but if he got a feel for how bad she was truly hurting, it might make it hard for him to focus on problem-solving. And this situation had a lot of them. It was dark as hell, as some bright spark had evidently possessed the foresight to turn off the gas lines given that there were fire monsters running amok inside the administration offices. Debris and broken furniture littered the slippery floor.
Mikani was just pondering what to do when Ritsuko said, “We have to seal the mines properly.”
At once, a number of voices rose in protest, soldiers protecting their masters’ interests, even to the death. To die in the line of duty was one thing; to die protecting a building and someone else’s profits? Mikani could not fathom that.
Evans stalked to the center of the room with Hu close behind him. They were both wet and disheveled, their features drawn in angles and shadows. The doctor kicked one of the metal shields so it tumbled back with a clatter. His old friend was obviously out of patience with the violence and the chaos.
“She’s right,” the miner said. “And I’ll gut the first man who tries to stop us.”
Saskia added softly, “I have the strength left to pull the air out of your lungs. I’d rather not. So don’t make me.”
Mikani had no idea if she could do that with her elementals, or if she had the cruelty to carry out the threat, but from what he sensed of the men’s moods, they believed her. And that was all you needed for an effective bluff. Bronze gods knew that she’d looked scary as hell with the wind and water whipping around her, a true and awe-inspiring weather witch.
“My orders are to hold this position,” the guard finally said. “I don’t know anything about what you’re planning. And neither do you, men.”
They answered with silence, freeing Mikani’s group to press forward down the slick, dark hallway. It wouldn’t be long before the skittish salamanders dried out and prepared for another charge. This time, there’s nothing to stop them, unless we do. Evans knew the most about the explosives they’d carried from the mines. Let’s hope it’s enough not to get us all killed.
Mikani heard the crash of glass. A few salamanders might have decided to take a more direct route into Eldheim; that didn’t bode well for the townsfolk. He quickened his step, conscious that if he fell, he’d take Ritsuko with him. Evans was ahead, navigating the twists and turns in the dark. A few times, the miner cursed as he thumped into something.
“I wish I knew a light spell,” Saskia muttered.
“Would be handy,” Hu agreed. “They always have them in the stories.”
“You should put me down,” Ritsuko whispered.
“When have you ever known me to do what I should? Stop squirming.”
“You can’t fight this way.”
But he couldn’t really fight fire elementals anyway. So he ignored that quiet comment and concentrated on maneuvering down the stairs. The silence was eerie, the darkness complete. At the base of the stairs, Mikani heard someone scrabbling in his or her pack. Then Evans turned the valve on his small lantern.
“Better than nothing. And I’ll need to see what I’m about. Otherwise . . .” When the man trailed off, Mikani knew what was at stake.
From that point, it didn’t take long to reach the mine entrance. The heavy doors that had locked behind them earlier were blown to bits. Steel shards littered the floor, misshapen in spots, so that it looked as if they had melted and cooled before bursting entirely. A few bodies lay nearby as well, charred beyond all recognition. These are the men we spoke with earlier. But there was no identifying them now.
Mikani set Ritsuko on her feet. She was a little unsteady, and he was anxious to get her some medical treatment, but not yet. Calmly, competently, Evans studied the stone, the cuts, and the weight, along with arches and angles, probably weighing factors Mikani hadn’t even considered. Then the miner sighed and told the party what to do; they set the charges according to his specifications.
“There’s no way for everyone to get clear before we set this off,” Evans said wearily. “One person has to start the fire, so to speak, but I can count to five hundred before I let it go. If we did this right, the upstairs should be fine. The rock will cave into the tunnels, not bring down the whole building.”
That’s a big “if.”
CHAPTER 23
RITSUKO BRACED FOR AN ARGUMENT ABOUT WHO SHOULD stay behind to chuck the lantern and ignite the gas pockets, but before that could begin, she glimpsed the russet glow of the returning salamanders. So she shouted, “Do it now!”
With no hesitation, Evans hurled the lamp. It sailed into the mouth of the tunnel and shattered on the stone. Detonation was instantaneous; a great boom echoed, and the whole room trembled, rocks tumbling down from the opening, creating a dust fog to accompany the thunderous collapse. Mikani threw himself on top of her, and as she went over backward, she saw Irahi shielding Miss Braelan. Chunks fell from the ceili
ng as the cave-in rumbled below the ground. Inhuman cries of rage and pain rang out, then fell silent.
As more debris tumbled down, Mikani pulled her to her feet, and they ran up the stairs, heading toward the front door as fast as they could. The first twenty feet were dodgy, but the farther they moved from the epicenter, the more stable the building seemed. Ritsuko exhaled, silently thanking Evans for his careful placement of the oil from inside the grenades. Her calves and ankles felt raw and hot; the numbness had worn off, so each step felt as if someone were scraping a skinning knife down the backs of her legs.
“Well done,” Miss Braelan said to Evans, who was coughing.
There were a few fresh bodies near the front door, but the surviving soldiers appeared grateful, even standing in inches of water. The administration offices were a wreck, and it was probably worse in town. She needed a rest, but somehow she kept to her feet, ignoring her injuries. There were doubtless others in a worse state.
Mikani came up to her and placed a hand on her arm. “That’ll keep the elementals off us for a bit. Now we just have an army of craggers and whatever salamanders managed to slip out. The day’s looking up already, partner.” His voice was hoarse, and she could barely make out his features through the layers of dirt and ash.
Not that I look any better.
One of the guards came up to them. The thick layer of grime made it impossible to tell his House. “The overseers will be down soon, and they won’t be pleased. You saved a lot of lives, but I doubt they’ll see past the mess you’ve made.” He signaled a couple of his men to give them three rifles and a couple of heavy handguns. “It’s not much, but it’s what we can spare. We’ll buy you some time, too.”
Mikani nodded. “Thanks.” He passed her one of the guns, unfamiliar and heavier than her service pistol. “You all right to walk, Ritsuko?” Irahi glanced over at that.
“I’m well enough.” Good thing I have the truth-sense, or he’d already be picking me up.
He looked dubious for a moment, but a loud explosion somewhere in the distance distracted him.
“Sounds like they’re past the outer defenses.” Evans checked his rifle and started walking.
Mikani followed close behind, then Miss Braelan. Irahi waited for Ritsuko, frowning. With the grime and ash covering him, he reminded her of a stone golem. “You’re hurt, Celeste.”
“We all are. It’ll keep.” She lowered her voice so her partner wouldn’t hear. “These boots will need to be cut off, and the fabric of my trousers will need to be soaked away, I fear.”
Irahi nodded once, after a moment. “You have the will of a warrior. Truly, you need to come to the Sisters with me after this is over. I’ll be the envy of the islands.” He grinned and waved her on after the others. “I’ll bring up the rear.”
Ritsuko quickened her step to catch up with the others a block away. The townsfolk had built a makeshift wall, bringing down several damaged buildings and shoring up the rubble with whatever they could find. Men and women ran along the inner wall, shouting in confusion and anger while fireballs burst against the tumbled rocks. Every now and then, a sphere of flame arced high over the walls to burst with a deafening roar, scattering those nearest the impact.
House Guards and miners fired over the barricade, the gunshots almost soft in the crackle of flames and dull thunder of fire missiles. Smoke and ash hung heavy in the air. Ritsuko could hear the rumbling of the cragger golems up ahead, but could see neither the stone creatures nor craggers assaulting the Eldheim defenses.
There was a deafening crack nearby. A small building, already half-demolished and scorched, tumbled in a cloud of dust a couple of dozen yards away. One of the cragger golems had a massive salamander wrapped in its arms, wrestling with the creature as it screamed and flared with gouts of flame that she could feel wash over her. The elemental blazed into the night sky in a pillar of ferocious orange light, and when the smoke cleared, there was nothing but a pool of molten stone cooling on the ground.
They’ll level the whole town. And we don’t even know what the craggers are doing here. If Ritsuko had been asked, she would’ve guessed that they intended to march on Northport or even Dorstaad, not Eldheim and the mines. A few moments later, a salamander crawled out of a flicker lantern, small at first, but it grew in size with every step it took. So the ignition effect that destroyed the golem taxed the elemental’s strength, but didn’t kill it. That’ll make it pretty damned hard to end these things.
As if the craggers shared her conclusion, a loud voice rang into the darkness, shouting for a retreat. Strategically, it made sense for the craggers to let the House soldiers face the elementals, then roll back into town to mop up any survivors. Good strategy. Bad for us. All around, bearded, wild-eyed men broke away from battle and ran for the sparse cover of the wooded hills outside town.
Her head ached with exhaustion, but this might be their only chance. They had to find the man giving orders to the cragger troops and find out what he wanted. So she quickly drew a handkerchief out of her pocket, unfolded it, and held out her hand to Evans for his rifle. He gave it without question, a response Ritsuko appreciated. She affixed the cloth to the barrel and moved through the chaos, avoiding the barrage of gunfire aimed at the salamanders who turned their attention to the defenders.
They apparently don’t care what humans they kill.
Ritsuko held the rifle by the stock with the scrap of cloth fluttering in the breeze. It should be evident by the way she carried it that she didn’t mean to fire it. And she was tired enough that if the craggers shot her on sight, she didn’t much care; at least it would mean a rest from all of this. Mikani said something, but the ambient noise made it impossible to discern the words unless she stopped and turned around.
If I do, the craggers will vanish into the trees until Eldheim’s well-nigh defenseless. It’s now or never.
Despite the pain in her legs, she hurried past the broken gates of town, with the rest of the group following. They might be protesting or questioning; Ritsuko wasn’t listening. This is all I can do. I may not be a captain or an adventurer, but I know how to talk to people. In the distance, she made out the last rank of the craggers, racing toward the forest. Soon they’d be out of earshot, so she simply stopped and shouted, “I formally request parley with your leader.” Then she held her ground while lifting the white cloth high in the air, where it could catch and reflect the scant moonlight. “Put away your weapons,” she said softly to the others.
“Are you sure about this?” Miss Braelan asked.
She laughed shakily. “Not even a little. But if they’re allowed to return, it’ll be disastrous. Eldheim’s barely holding together as it is.”
The word “parley” echoed forward through the craggers’ disorganized line, echoed mouth to ear, until Ritsuko thought her nerves would fray to the point of bleeding. She felt her pulse in various bruises and wounds, reinforced by the ringing in her ears, which might be a result of concussive damage or simple exhaustion.
Please grant me the right words, Grandfather.
Eventually, a giant of a man—on par with Irahi—strode through the cragger force, who had paused in their retreat. It was safe enough, this distance from town, as the soldiers had enough problems to keep them from giving chase. If things went poorly, there might only be an ashen ruin left when these talks concluded. He had a savage, imperious air, huge hands, a scarred face, and auburn hair, braided and laced with ornamental bone.
“What Summerlander dares to call for words with me?” he demanded.
• • •
MIKANI FOUGHT THE urge to reach for his rifle as he sized up the craggers’ leader.
He knows his way around a fight. He’s angry as hell’s own hounds, but scared, too . . . and those burn marks on his left arm look fresh. He released his grip on his gift further, taking in the roiling waves of anxiety rolling off the host of craggers before him.
“They expected the salamanders to side with them,” he whispered.
Ritsuko shot him a quick glance and stepped forward.
“I’m Inspector Celeste Ritsuko, special envoy for the Council of Noble Houses from Dorstaad.”
The man made a sound of disdain as he came toward her. He towered over Ritsuko, one of his hands easily big enough to engulf her head if he reached for her.
I will take him down if he tries. He glanced at the milling throng of tribesmen. The rest of them might be a bit of a problem, but we’ll burn that bridge if we get to it.
“I am Kaeheld of Ceannen, Chief of Clan Coirse, war leader for the families of the Jagged Coast and Kraken Sea. Speak your piece, woman.”
“We approach under a flag of peace,” she said with quiet dignity. “I request to hear your reasons for attacking this place and what you require to negotiate a truce.”
The gathered craggers called out, their mingling voices unintelligible and loud. Then Kaeheld raised a hand, and the tumult died down to an angry, rolling murmur.
“What authority have you, Ritsuko of the Council in Dorstaad? We’ve been promised much, by the snakes in Northport. Their pledges have proven hollow as rotten logs.”
Mikani touched Ritsuko’s elbow. “She has the full support of the Houses. Northport must obey.” At least, I hope so. Bronze gods know we’ve little choice at the moment. Really hope Olrik doesn’t take our heads for this.
Her voice was calm and composed. “All conflict can be resolved. We need only identify the promises to which you refer and amend the wrongs done to your people.”
To Mikani’s ears, she sounded sincere and in control, but her emotions gave her away. She was frightened and shaky, trying not to show it. The cragger chieftain scanned her up and down, as if taking her measure. Ritsuko met his gaze steadily. Mikani wondered if it seemed odd to the leader that with three men standing behind her, she was still handling the exchange.
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