World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  In fact, Berig trusted everyone here except Farah, who walked off to the right, where the twisted trees clustered more thickly. She was quite pretty, though, with curly brown hair.

  Graig put a hand on Berig's shoulder. "How're you feeling?"

  Berig grimaced at a sudden movement. "The cuts sting, but I think I'll manage."

  Graig gave Berig a reassuring smile, hanging back beside him. Berig couldn't help but like the bearded merchant. Back in Bradenton, most merchants had shown little concern for Berig, as they were more concerned with making profit. Graig seemed a charitable man, reminding Berig of people like Liam and Gram. The Empire needed more people like Graig.

  Ahead, the trees went right to the shore and were so close together no one could fit between them. Not even Berig. He thought he saw movement in the water again.

  "Did you see anything there?" he asked, turning to Graig, Talia, and Danica. The rest of the group had marched ahead of them.

  Danica squinted toward the water. "I think I might have."

  "I was hoping I was imagining things," Berig said.

  The water churned more fiercely as Berig and the others stopped and stared at it. Moments later, a huge white tentacle emerged.

  Berig's stomach lurched. "What the hell is that?"

  Graig's eyes widened. "I don't know. Let's get out of here."

  They glanced around, but there was no escape with the trees standing so thickly around them. At a loss, they took off running, trying to rejoin the rest of the group. Berig felt searing pain across his chest, but he ignored it.

  The tentacle slithered closer, like the world's largest snake—at least fifty feet long and as wide around as a sturdy tree trunk. Grimacing, Berig increased his pace.

  They kept running, straying dangerously close to the water, the tentacle maybe twenty feet from them. Berig glanced at the others, whose faces had paled. Sweat clung to his forehead.

  Heart pounding, he pushed through the pain and felt as if he'd ripped his stitches open.

  The tentacle reached them and grabbed Graig, who couldn't get his sword out in time. Talia jumped into action, slashing at the tentacle with her sword. The tentacle writhed but didn't release Graig, and she kept attacking it.

  Berig and Danica stood off to the side, looking on with alarm. They both had daggers, but could they do anything against a monster this large? Regardless, he had to try.

  He raced over to Graig and tried to pull the tentacle free, but it wouldn't budge as it dragged Graig toward the black water. Drenched in sweat, chest screaming with pain, Berig slashed at the tentacle. Graig opened his mouth in a silent scream

  The tentacle retracted quickly, and Graig was only feet from the water, struggling against the monster's grip. Berig reached over the tentacle, digging his feet into the muddy ground as he tried to pull Graig free, but nothing slowed the tentacle's progress.

  Graig looked Berig in the eyes, and his voice came out as a croak. "Let go, Berig."

  "I can't!" Berig shouted, tightening his grip, growing closer to the water. His fear and pain didn't matter anymore. He had to save Graig, who'd been so kind to him.

  Talia grabbed on as well, and the tentacle slowed a bit, but they hadn't stopped it. Graig glared at them. "Let go, Talia. You can't save me either."

  Now less than a foot from the black water, Berig made his decision. As much as it pained him, he couldn't die along with Graig. He let go. Beside him, Talia did the same. They fell to the ground and watched helplessly as the tentacle pulled Graig beneath the water and the lake became still once more.

  "I-I can't believe it," Talia said. "He's dead."

  And it was Berig's fault.

  Chapter 38: Empire of Chains

  Markus awoke early in the morning, his mind racing as it had all night. At the time he'd gone to sleep, Rik's fever was still burning intensely.

  Markus shuffled out into the common room, where Taren sat awake in a large wooden chair, reading by candlelight. Markus tried to sneak past without Taren noticing, and almost made it to the door.

  "I gather you didn't sleep well," Taren said, setting his book down on a battered wooden table.

  "I'm just so worried," Markus said, turning toward Rik's room. Before Markus could take another step, Taren fastened a hand around his arm and directed him to an old chair.

  "I'm curious about you three," Taren said.

  Markus's stomach churned. "We're just three travelers. Nothing to be curious about."

  "I doubt that. The way you act says otherwise."

  "Well, you're mistaken," Markus said, the chair groaning as he shifted. This felt like an interrogation, and Taren suddenly reminded Markus of his uncle.

  The man reached into a leather sack by his feet and pulled out a small scroll that looked oddly familiar. "What is this? I found it in the young lady's things."

  Markus glared at him. "Found it? Sounds more like you stole it."

  He tried to keep the anxiety off his face. Did Taren suspect what the scroll might be?

  "If I'd stolen it, would I be showing it to you?"

  "It doesn't matter," Markus said. "You had no right to go snooping."

  "Relax." Taren handed the scroll back to Markus. "I looked at it, but couldn't make any sense of it. I've never learned Luminian"

  "I still don't trust you. For one thing, you haven't told me how you knew my name."

  Taren leaned back with a relaxed smile. "Well, if you must know, it's because you look a lot like your uncle. You might not think so, but you do."

  "And how do you know my uncle?" Markus asked, though he had the feeling he knew the answer.

  "No point hiding it," Taren said. "I used to work with him."

  Markus forced himself to stay composed. It bothered him that an Imperial Guard had shown interest in the scroll.

  "And do you still work for Warrick?" Markus asked.

  "Well, you might retire, but you never really leave the profession."

  "I still want to know how you recognized me. Yeah, you might know my uncle, but it almost seems like you were expecting me. Tell me the truth. Were you?"

  Taren continued smiling. "I don't have to take orders from you."

  "I'm not ordering, just asking. I mean, what're the chances that you'd recognize me? Even more suspicious, why'd you just happen to have the Miracle Fruit?"

  "I always have some in stock," Taren said. "There's nothing suspicious here."

  Markus couldn't read Taren's expression. The man had what Rik would call a good poker face.

  "Then why'd you pick out the scroll?" Markus asked. "We had a lot of other stuff."

  Taren shrugged, maintaining his poker face. "I thought it was interesting."

  "You can lie all you want, but I know you're up to something. I'd bet you're still working for Warrick. You seem like the type."

  "Maybe I am," Taren said. "Or maybe I'm just giving the appearance that I am. After all, it is dangerous to oppose our emperor."

  The chair groaned again as Markus shifted, eyeing Taren coldly. "Fine. I know you won't give me any answers. I'm gonna check on Rik now."

  "Go ahead. No one's forcing you to stay here."

  But as Markus rose, he felt as if Taren could force people to do anything if he felt in the mood. After a deep breath, Markus eased through Rik's door. Please, God, let him be okay.

  Rik lay in bed, faintly snoring, and Markus put a hand on his shoulder. After a soft groan, Rik opened his eyes, looking around in confusion.

  He lifted his head gingerly. "Markus?"

  "Rik, how're you feeling?"

  Rik sat up. "A lot better, I think. What happened? The last few days all kind of seem like a blur to me. I remember getting stabbed. I vaguely remember walking to Riverside. Then everything gets really foggy." He shrugged. "Guess I pulled through."

  "Yes, you did," Markus said. Then he recounted everything that had happened. Gradually, Rik's memories returned, but he said they remained fuzzy. His skin also felt normal again.

&nbs
p; "Never heard of these Miracle Fruits," Rik said.

  "I hadn't either."

  "This Taren guy sounds a little suspicious."

  "Yeah, we need to be careful," Markus said. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

  "Let me see if I can stand." Rik placed his feet on the floor, then tested his strength. At first, he wavered, but then his legs steadied. "Well, I've certainly felt better, but this is a good sign. I should have my strength back soon."

  Markus put an arm around Rik's shoulders. "You can't imagine how glad I am to know you're going to make it. These last few days were terrible. I can't lose you, Rik."

  Markus was ashamed to realize there were tears in his eyes. He turned away from Rik, who would make fun of him if he saw the tears.

  "Guess we should tell Nadia I'm okay," Rik said.

  "Yeah, she'll want to wake up for that."

  * * * * *

  A few hours later, Nadia sat with Markus and Rik, eating lunch in the kitchen. For the most part, Taren had left them alone, and after what Markus had told her about the man, she was glad to see little of him. She could force herself to forgive Markus's uncle, who'd given up his previous loyalties, but she couldn't forgive every Imperial Guard.

  Taren came into the kitchen while they were eating and grabbed some food for himself. To Nadia's relief, he ate in the empty common room. Not much of an inn, she decided. Perhaps Taren made people nervous. After all, he had looked at the scroll, and that worried her.

  A hard knock on the door disturbed her from her thoughts. She, Markus, and Rik turned toward the sound as Taren answered the door. A trio of Imperial Guards stepped through, talking quietly and scanning their surroundings.

  Nadia's chest tightened. Were the Imperial Guards here to arrest them? She looked to Markus and Rik for reassurance, but they'd gone deathly pale.

  The quiet conversation continued, and then the Imperial Guards left. Nadia didn't know what to make of it. She was about to go to Taren when the door opened again. Through the door stepped a tall man in the fine red robes of a noble. He had dark hair and eyes and carried himself like a powerful man. Stomach lurching, Nadia realized who he was.

  Emperor Warrick.

  Markus and Rik looked on with confusion.

  "That's Warrick," she whispered, and their eyes widened. Then she gave them a look, and they controlled their expressions. Maybe this had nothing to do with them. Her heart continued pounding, however, as Warrick looked at her with a smile of recognition.

  He turned to Taren. "I think your guests know who I am."

  Nadia fought to maintain her composure. With a deep breath, she turned to face the emperor. There were niceties to be observed. As much as it pained her, she gave him a small bow, all she could force herself to do. Markus and Rik did the same, but awkwardly

  "Not the greatest show of respect," Warrick said, "but I'll let it pass. After all, I am not dressed as emperor." He smiled again. "I can be a reasonable man, Lady Nadia."

  "No offense, my emperor," Nadia said, "but I would not describe you as reasonable. You destroyed an entire city. There were children in that city, and you slaughtered them. Can you truly call that reasonable?"

  Her heart pounded like a drum. Had she thrown away everything through this outburst?

  To her surprise, Warrick smiled. "You know, it's actually quite refreshing to see someone willing to question me." He narrowed his eyes. "As long as you don't take that questioning too far."

  "Of course not, my emperor," Nadia said, trying to disguise her true feelings. Warrick's dark gaze unnerved her. He had the ability to read and manipulate minds, so he might see her intentions. His face revealed nothing.

  "You might not understand my reasons," he said, "but I do everything for a reason." He turned his gaze to Markus and Rik. "And who might you two be?"

  "We're nobody," Rik said, too quickly.

  Warrick's eyes narrowed again. "Now, that sounds suspicious. In my position, you learn to be wary of anyone keeping secrets. Tell me who you are. I'll know if you're lying."

  Nadia felt like throwing up. Would Warrick know of Markus's situation and force him to become an Imperial Guard? This time, they might not give him the choice to live, and Nadia would be devastated if she lost him. No matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise.

  Markus cleared his throat. "I'm Markus, a friend of Nadia's."

  Rik swayed on his feet. "And I'm Rik, Markus's friend."

  "Now that wasn't so hard," Warrick said, a strange glint in his eyes, as though he were keeping his own secrets, which he probably was. "Believe it or not, I know who you are too."

  Markus's face turned a ghostly white.

  Warrick smiled, as though enjoying this. "It does seem like we might have a problem, then. After all, someone here was supposed to serve me. Yes, Markus, I knew of your uncle's agreement. In fact, it was my idea in the first place."

  Markus glared at the emperor. "It doesn't matter. I will never serve you."

  Warrick's gaze turned to ice. "I expect more respect than that. When you're facing someone who could kill you with a thought, you should show respect whether you respect them or not." His tone softened. "Just a little advice. Keep that in mind."

  "Of course, my emperor," Markus said. "But that doesn't change the fact that I don't want to serve you. I was there in Crayden. You can't expect me to serve you faithfully after that. If you want to kill me, go ahead."

  "You should be careful what you wish for."

  Warrick pointed a finger at Markus, and a jet of darkness came from his fingertips. Nadia's heart leapt. She was sure the man was going to kill Markus. As soon as the spell struck Markus in the chest, he fell backward, screaming and twitching.

  But then Warrick lowered his hand. Markus lay on the ground, slumped against some cabinets at the back of the kitchen. Groaning, he sat up.

  "That is for your disrespect and disobedience," Warrick said. "Remember this. That was just a small taste of what I'm capable of doing. You don't want to anger me." His tone softened. "However, as I said, I can be a reasonable man if you treat me well. Though I would have liked to have your service, Markus, I will not force you to serve me. I can find others far more willing."

  Despite Warrick's reassurances, Nadia couldn't relax. She kept thinking of the first scroll of White Fire, which lay in her leather sack upon the table.

  Would Taren tell Warrick about the scroll?

  After all, what had brought the emperor here? It seemed too odd to be a coincidence. Yes, Taren was an Imperial Guard, and Warrick might have visited the man before, but what were the chances that he'd visit while Nadia, Markus, and Rik were there?

  Tense silence had fallen, and only Warrick seemed at ease. With his powers, there was no situation he couldn't handle. Nadia felt small and insignificant. How could she ever hope to defeat him? White Fire was a long shot. Could she die for that?

  Then she thought of Crayden, of thousands dying in that inferno. No matter the risk, she had to take advantage of the opportunity. She could never live with herself if she didn't.

  Taren's voice disturbed her from her thoughts. "The emperor and I need to speak alone."

  "Should we go to our rooms, then?" she asked, fighting her nerves.

  "No. You should go somewhere else. It shouldn't be long."

  Markus and Rik looked eager to leave, and Nadia couldn't blame them. Still, a part of her wanted to hang around, to eavesdrop somehow on what Taren and Warrick were saying. However, that wouldn't be possible. Or safe.

  "I'll know if you stick around," Warrick said, as if reading her mind.

  She nodded to him, and they gathered their leather sacks. They might as well restock their supplies while they were out. As they marched out of the dusty inn, Nadia felt Warrick's cold gaze against her back, and hated the thought of how vulnerable she was.

  But Warrick didn't attack them. It didn't make sense. He knew who she was, who her mother was, knew that she opposed him more vehemently than anyon
e else. Was he so confident in his powers that he felt no need to neutralize perhaps his greatest threat?

  "Well, that was weird," Rik said as they strode away from the inn, across cobblestone streets in the bright sunlight.

  Markus shook his head. "I thought he was gonna kill us for sure."

  "So did I," Nadia said. "I have no idea why he didn't."

  Rik stroked his short, newly-grown red beard. "It seems like he knows a whole lot about us. I could tell there were things he was hiding. I'm really not sure what to make of him. He wasn't what I expected. He almost seems . . . human."

  Nadia didn't know what to say to that.

  "At least the pain of that spell is gone," Markus said. "It stopped hurting shortly after he let me go. I think he was right, though. He was holding back."

  Rik led the way toward Riverside's market district, for he knew his way the best. Too often, Nadia and her father had traveled by carriage, paying little attention to their surroundings.

  "Even if he does seem human," Nadia said, "we still have to kill him."

  "Of course," Rik said. "I wasn't saying we should change our minds."

  "How could we?" Markus asked. "Nothing can change my mind after Crayden."

  "I know." Nadia could still see the ruins of the city when she closed her eyes. Would those images ever fade? Images like that, those most horrible and tragic, had a way of hanging around.

  They found most of what they needed at one store. Dilon, the merchant, asked them to place their bags at the front of the store, where he would watch them. He couldn't take the risk that the three of them were thieves.

  As they finished their shopping, a trio of Imperial Guards burst through the shop's door. Nadia's heart climbed into her throat, and she watched them warily. It didn't matter that Warrick had let them leave. Maybe he wanted them dead now. How could she know his mind?

  Beside her, Markus placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.

  "Don't do that," she whispered. "They might not be here for us."

  He moved his hand, but not very far. Standing in the shadows, just out of view, they listened to the conversation between Dilon and the guardsmen.

  "We're here for our share," one said.