Magic and Mayhem: A Collection of 21 Fantasy Novels

by Jasmine Walt

  Aedus pulled her burnt hand close and cradled it against her chest. Alaysha expected to hear her whimper, but she made no sound.

  Yenic stepped towards her before Alaysha could. "Someone bandage her," he said to no one and Alaysha rushed to beat any who thought to fulfill the task. She needn't have bothered: nobody had taken the steps, instead the shadows that had emerged, crossed into the light of the clearing and followed into the woods behind Edulph's retreating back.

  "Are you all right?" Alaysha reached out for the girl, and Aedus let go a sob. "Tell me Aedus, are you all right?" She had to kneel to look into the girl's eyes.

  "She could have been worse," Yenic said from behind her.

  Alaysha looked back over her shoulder. "What do you mean?" He sounded as though he was scolding her, not blaming Edulph.

  "I mean you could have killed her."

  "I would never—"

  "Not intentionally."

  It struck her that yes, she would indeed have killed Aedus. She would have annihilated everyone within a leagua, including Barruch, and Yenic. All unintentionally.

  "As long as they have her, she is not safe." Yenic said. "Not from them or from you."

  Alaysha nodded.

  "Unless you can walk away from her, leave her to the mercy of her brother."

  "He shouldn't have to be inclined toward mercy for his own sister."

  "And yet it would seem that's not the case."

  Alaysha touched the top of the head that was burrowed and whimpering into her chest. "No. It would seem he is not as loving a brother as she is a sister."

  "So can you leave her?"

  "No."

  "Then it would seem you are going to war."

  10

  At first, Alaysha thought she could merely wait until an opportune moment to steal away. She and Yenic tried hanging back in the riding queue; Yenic behind her on Barruch's back as they left the oasis and headed toward Sarum, but Aedus had been slung over a beast and tied to a pommel, and she wasn't remotely close enough to rescue. The second plan was to wait for nightfall and attempt rescue then.

  That was when Alaysha realized how right Aedus had been about the power of the dreamer's worm.

  They were sitting a way off from the fire pit when darkness set in the first night. Neither of them spoke to each other, both lost in their own thoughts. Alaysha watched Edulph's men as they lumbered about with gourds full of ale. She thought it was the perfect opportunity. Aedus sat next to the fire, her owlish eyes alight in the roaring blaze. She couldn't have been more than a few second's dash from them.

  But for the squat, barrel-chested men next to her, Aedus was unguarded. And that guard seemed more bent on trying to catch the attention of the only woman in the group. She too was short, but broad shouldered with a tangle of mucked hair that could have been blonde or black when clean. Alaysha supposed it hadn't been clean for months.

  They seemed the perfect pair to Alaysha. She decided to tell Yenic that they should become matchmakers.

  And then she saw, and was reminded of the power of the dreamer's worm—even a full day since application and rinsing off.

  "What?" he asked her when he caught her staring.

  She shook her head, changing her mind. Best he not know, she supposed. She felt his hand against her back. "Are you cold?"

  She tried not to let the green stripes mesmerize her. They danced in the dark as he moved his head, and the darker it became, the more they glowed.

  The man next to Aedus let out a bellow of a guffaw. He pointed across the fire at Yenic.

  "He's got Meroshi's curse," the filthy warrior shouted. "Look. He's been marked. Greetha, look," he said to the woman and she stood from her spot a few feet away to peer at Yenic.

  "Are you mad?" she asked Yenic and laughed. "Do you see night terrors, little man?"

  By then everyone was staring. Even Edulph had found a spot next to the fire to gape and laugh. He lifted his gourd in Yenic's direction. "Long live Meroshi's magic," he shouted and everyone with a gourd of ale lifted it and chorused the cheer.

  Alaysha wouldn't look at Yenic, trying to save him the shame. Instead she reached for his hand, but he brushed it away and bolted to his feet.

  "You think this is magic?" He made a good show of sounding unaffected, but Alaysha could hear something different in his voice. She tried to catch his eye and failed.

  He laughed. "You have no idea about magic." He moved toward the fire and it leapt brighter with each step. No one but her seemed to notice the new light to the fire, the radiance of the new heat.

  Greetha eased herself up and threaded her way around the blaze and reached out to touch Yenic's face. She was murmuring to herself as she traced the marks. Alaysha could see Yenic stiffen, bracing himself for her touch even as the barrel-chested warrior on the other side braced from anger. He jumped to his feet, hands clenching and unclenching.

  "Leave the pup be, Greetha," he shouted. "What would you want with a fool who gets tricked by Meroshi's magic?"

  "I think he's pretty, Spate," she said back and looked into Yenic's face. "He has fire behind his eyes."

  This infuriated Spate even more, and had several of the men laughing and mocking the thrown-over lover. Yenic seemed to realize the potential for distraction, same as Alaysha had. Without even a word or glance in her direction, she knew he was going to press the issue until Alaysha could sneak away. She was ready, waiting for the opportunity.

  Yenic took Greetha's hand and pulled it to the soft spot at the base of his hairline. A quick surge of jealousy fired through Alaysha when she saw Yenic slip his hand onto the woman's back. He murmured in a language Alaysha didn't understand, but in a tone she recognized. Greetha's fingers went to Yenic's ribcage, tracing the tattaus, trailing down the ink line to his hip. Alaysha's mental fingers went with hers as they moved, and she had to fight to keep the envy from tightening her throat. She knew the feel of that skin, how heated it was, how each muscle met the other with the sharpness of a steel blade. She had to pull her gaze away from Yenic and Greetha, seek out Aedus, nod toward the darkness and hope the girl understood.

  Then Yenic declared to Greetha in a voice that lifted to the trees that even a pup was better for a bitch than a pig.

  It all fell to chaos after that, and Alaysha took the chance to melt into the darkness.

  She could hear the arguing, could hear Greetha's taunting, using Yenic as bait to instigate further fury in her spurned lover. Alaysha tried to block it out as she eased her way through the darkness, around the horses, past a few unconscious men.

  She heard the clang of metal on metal and supposed the pig had taken enough taunts. She didn't care. She only cared that she get to Aedus. She imagined Yenic could take care of himself. She thought of him letting Greetha's touch and thought it would serve him right anyway.

  She glanced at the fire from the shadows, hoping to catch Aedus's eye, hoping even against hope that she had slipped away. Her space was empty. She must be close.

  "Aedus sends her regrets," a voice drawled.

  Alaysha had been so intent on the fire she hadn't noticed the shadows next to her were too thick. She turned to face Edulph.

  "I have a few regrets of my own."

  She felt him shift in the darkness, and he was closer to her than she expected. She could smell the oil and mud in his hair, hear the rustling of his beard as he ran his palm down his chin. If he could be measured by his voice alone, it would be pleasant; a person might think him agreeable.

  "I've honored my promise," he said.

  She felt his breath on her shoulder and rubbed her arm where it touched.

  "You mean you haven't held her other hand over the flame"

  "To what end would that be useful? You're here with us. We'll be in Sarum in three days, maybe less."

  "And so long as I cooperate, she will be fine."

  He said nothing for a long while; Alaysha wanted to press his answer, but she knew better. Finally, he spoke again and his tone was
harsher than before, more business like.

  "Your man has power like you?"

  She wasn't sure how to answer that: make him fear or make him wonder? Alaysha said nothing, just turned on her heel and found her way back to the fire, Edulph's annoying chuckle following.

  By the time Yenic saw her, Greetha had already found a more accommodating companion than either Spate or Yenic. Several men nursed cuts and a few were clapping Spate on the back.

  Yenic sported a good-sized cut on his cheek. He looked at Alaysha and shrugged. "Couldn't let him lose," is all he said, but there was fire still behind his gaze and he glared at Spate as he sat down.

  That fire stayed in his eyes for the next two days and even as the glow dissipated, no one in the crew forgot he'd been marked. Each night, Spate found a way to challenge him; each night Yenic suffered through it. Alaysha could see the tension building around the fire.

  "What are we going to do?"

  "I think we have two choices: we could follow Edulph to Sarum and pray the war he plans to bring causes so much commotion we can steal away with her—"

  "Or?" That plan didn't seem very likely, and Alaysha had the uncomfortable image of Edulph doing harm to the girl and forcing Alaysha to use her power. There really seemed no way around it.

  "Or we just leave."

  "You asked me to do that before, back at the oasis," Alaysha said. "I won't do it."

  Yenic lifted a gourd of water to his mouth. One thing they hadn't lacked since joining the rogue tribe was food and drink; they had been fed and watered twice just in the first day. Alaysha didn't want to think about where it might have come from. She glimpsed a few desiccated hands hanging from saddles, the odd cloak made of linen rather than the traditional fur. She guessed they looted and killed in every village they came across, adding the violent outcasts from each to their ragged number.

  "I wonder what he promised them to keep them in such good order," she mused aloud.

  "Who knows," Yenic said, stretching his legs so the soles of his bare feet reached the fire. Three days slow travel, and she could still see the faint green phosphorescent gleam beneath his eyes; but she wouldn't mention it.

  "Do you think Edulph will ever let her go?"

  He shrugged. "Would you?"

  She gave it consideration and didn't like where her mind went. "I can't keep killing."

  "Well, you do make a pretty good threat just by your existence."

  "But he'd never be able to know if I would turn on him or not."

  "Exactly why you shouldn't have let him know you cared for her. Now she'll never be safe and you will never be free."

  "Should I have killed them all in the oasis, is that what you're saying? Because if you are, remember you're the one who stopped me." Her face burned just thinking about how he'd accomplished it.

  "I stopped you because I didn't want him to see your full power. Better he believes in it but doesn't yet have evidence. That's why it's taking so long to get to Sarum. I bet Edulph is trying to decide if you're real or not."

  "And in the meantime, he won't release Aedus."

  "Every day we stay with them proves to him how much you care. She is his weapon against you."

  Alaysha thought it over. "So, if we just left?"

  "Aedus loses her usefulness."

  "He might kill her."

  "Yes."

  "And you would have us take a chance."

  "My duty is to protect the witch. Even if it's from herself."

  "I don't need protection."

  He said nothing to that, merely took another drink and eased back onto his elbows, face lifted to the night sky. She thought he might say something, as though he needed to unburden himself, but he kept quiet for a long time. She finally had to prod him to speak.

  "Maybe you are powerful," he answered. "But you are also young and you are untrained."

  She doubted this was what was on his mind, but at least he was speaking again.

  "Does that bother you?"

  There was a shrug in his tone. "We hoped your nohma would train you to control your power."

  "She couldn't. She's been gone these last dozen seasons."

  He nodded. "Yes. And you went on killing."

  She felt a niggle of shame but pushed it away. A warrior did not feel shame either. "Then why didn't you come for me?"

  "We tried." He looked at her. "Plenty of times. We came for you through other villages, but you always arrived with your father and took them. We had to wait until you were old enough to begin to question your father's ways for yourself. We didn't think he'd use you to decimate the whole tribe. And when we did realize, it was too late. The oasis was the best we could do. It was our last stand."

  Alaysha thought back to the mud hut and the strangeness of the smoke inside. "Magic," she murmured.

  "Our own brand, yes. Those crones you saw, they were the others. They used the last of their powers to protect me. Now they're gone."

  He shifted so he was closer to Alaysha, his hip next to hers. The crackle of the fire was the only sound for a while as she ran all he'd said through her mind. That she'd been wanted enough to be searched for. That there were others like her.

  Yet the things her father said also echoed through her mind. These people were her people—were they like Edulph and his band, bent on selfish chaos? They might be her mother's people, but that didn't mean she wanted any part of them. She'd struck out on her own, and she meant to be on her own.

  "Barruch and I will have gone before dawn," she said finally. "If what you say about Aedus being useless is true, then I'll show them I don't care."

  "Good choice," he said. "We'll let the fire go down now so they're uncertain of when we left."

  "Not us," she said. "Me."

  "You'd go without an Arm?"

  She got up and went to her horse, where her blade was, where her fur was tucked into the basket, where her tinder bundle was. "This is my arm," she said, hoisting the blade. "And these are my legs." She patted Barruch's rump. "I've needed nothing but these for years."

  He shook his head. "You're young. You need training."

  "If it's as you say, the only thing I care about will be safe when I leave."

  "You care about only one?" he asked and she had to look away so she could lie easier.

  "I can't afford to care about much else. Yuri has been right all these years. My only protection from myself or anyone else is to care for nothing." She kissed Barruch between his eyes and pulled her fur from his basket, thinking that even though she wouldn't sleep, she could pretend, and then she could slip away before dawn.

  11

  She planned to leave as soon as Yenic fell asleep, but he sat by the fire for hours. Contrary to his initial plan, he didn't let the fire die down at all. She didn't see him feed it, necessarily, but she knew he must have, off and on through the night, because every so often it would blaze brightly.

  Twice, she realized she'd fallen asleep and felt herself jerk awake. Each time, she peered beneath Barruch's legs at the fire and the slumped form beside it, waiting to see if it moved or stayed still. Both times, within moments an arm reached out toward the flame seeking warmth.

  So he wasn't going to let her creep away after all.

  She got up and quietly packed her things plus the provisions she'd tied into her basket before they'd had left the oasis: a comb of honey wrapped in leaves and tucked into a pouch, a few peaches, and the last of the frog legs they'd roasted. She tucked her fur beneath Barruch's saddle and clucked at him to move. She planned to lead him out of camp then climb on and ride as fast as she could. With any luck, she could be far enough they'd only catch up when she was out of range of harming Aedus.

  They could send all the scouts they wanted then. A few scouts she could handle.

  She had Barruch's reins in her hand when Yenic crept up to her. She felt him close enough in the dark that she could touch him if she wanted.

  "I'll try to get her away," he said to her and she nodded eve
n though she knew he'd not see it.

  "Only when it's safe," she said. "And only if they decide she has no use after all."

  "It's the best chance for her."

  She did reach for him then, and his hand found hers. She found comfort in his touch. "I know," she told him. "But if my leaving doesn't do what we hope for, try to get her away from Edulph. Brother or no, I don't trust him."

  Yenic squeezed her hand. She looked back towards their fire only to see it had gone much dimmer.

  "Don't worry," he said, following her gaze. "I put dirt on it. There's nothing like a bit of earth to temper a flame."

  "Or water," she said.

  "Or water." The hand that had been in hers moved to her chin and rested there. "If this works, I'll bring Aedus to the oasis. We'll wait for you."

  "I don't know how far I need to go before it's safe."

  "It's all right. We have enough there to keep us fed and watered until you do come."

  "What if I don't?" She stepped away from him. "Come to you, I mean."

  His soft chuckle moved through the darkness. "Oh, you'll return eventually."

  "You can't know that."

  "But I do."

  She felt him reach out for her again, and the warmth of his palm on her lower back surprised her. Before she could stop him, he had pulled her close and placed his mouth on hers. It brought all the heat of his kiss from the oasis to mind, and she felt as though her throat was on fire.

  "We're bonded. You won't be able to help yourself."

  He stepped away to mince back toward the tempered fire. Curiosity urged her to follow him and find out what he meant, but reason won out and she pressed herself through the bushes, pulling Barruch along behind her.

  By mid afternoon Barruch had taken her halfway to the oasis. In the light of day, things seemed far more fixable. On his back, with her hair being taken by the breeze, and the rhythm of his gallop, Alaysha could clear her mind and focus. So much had changed in the quarter turn of the moon, so much had shifted. In these seven turns, she had learned more about her life than in the eighteen seasons she'd lived. To discover her nohma, a woman far too young to be a grandmother, had actually been her aunt made sense. She'd always felt close to Nohma—she just always believed it was because the woman was the only replacement for a mother she'd had. Now she knew the truth, and the truth seemed to be a strange jumble of information that melded between Yuri's story and Yenic's.