by Gail Dayton
Frantic, Kallista lashed out with her lightning, stifling her cry as it singed along her leg. Her captor dropped like a felled ox with a deep grunt of sound.
The men to either side shouted and grabbed for her. Kallista, on the floor over the fallen man, caught their wrists and fed the lightning directly into their bodies. They collapsed into two twitching, drooling heaps.
A gunshot rang out behind her and Kallista ducked. The fighting behind was catching up. Her iliasti would reach her soon. All she had to do was wait. But her babies were in danger.
All of them were hers, from baby Lissta to just-found Sky to her beautiful, beautiful twins. She had to get her magic back and save them. And while she worked on that, she could creep ahead—careful not to get captured again—and spy things out.
The thought hadn't fully formed before Kallista moved, slipping from the corridor into the maze of rooms that would take her eventually to the fighting near the nursery. She passed quickly through the empty rooms, listening through doors or draperies before inching them open to look, then scurrying across. But finally, the rooms didn't connect any further. She would have to risk the corridor again.
Kallista lay flat on the floor to peer through the gap under the hallway door. A man lay on the floor outside, staring back, tattoos stark on his blood-smeared face. Alarm pounded through her until she recognized the blank stare of the dead.
Booted feet thumped past her view, running toward the nursery, and Kallista slid on her stomach to change her angle, see further in that direction. More feet, more than she could count quickly, pushing, slipping, bracing ... fighting. The men on those feet were fighting. Which meant Keldrey still held, right?
She felt a tug on one of her links and tugged back, instinctively.
Here. I'm here.
A wave of worry, approaching terror, surged toward her from all her links. She tried to farspeak them but couldn't catch enough magic even for that. She could only send back the sense that she was safe for now, and a warning to be careful.
Their relief was so strong, it wrapped around her like a blanket and made her smile. Then came a rush of anger from Torchay, capped with an imperiousness that could only mean “Stay there.” She had to smother a laugh that dissolved into a sob. What had happened to their ilian, that the magic had dissolved?
The magic was still there. She could feel it. So why couldn't she call it? Why couldn't she...?
Was she the problem? Could it be?
Kallista sat up, set her back against the door carefully, so it didn't rattle. If anyone wanted in, she wouldn't be taken by surprise. She had to think.
Where was Joh when she needed him?
Again, Kallista's heart froze. The thought had been a joke, an attempt to lighten her heavy-weighted thoughts, but was it really? She'd been captured because she'd left her iliasti behind. Was there more to her abandonment than that? When had the magic first vanished on her?
This morning, when she'd tried to send the magic into the Nabili, the magic had dissipated like fog in a breeze. But earlier, when Khoriseth had punched out of the bubble where she'd trapped it.... She'd felt the magic weaken, just before the demon escaped. Why? What had been different about that moment? About all the other moments?
She tried to rebuild that instant of time. Her soldiers had been there, the justice champions there, Chani with Khoriseth between them. Kallista had caught the demon inside shields and wrapped the destruction magic around that. When it worked, she'd felt so—so triumphant. And then the demon had escaped.
Was that it? Feeling too much glee over defeating demons? But when the magic actually vanished, she hadn't been gleeful. She'd been ... Kallista shuddered. She'd been angry. She hadn't sent her magic into the Nabili to search. She'd already searched the woman. She sent it to punish her. For daring to defy Kallista's authority.
Kallista's authority.
Oh Goddess. Kallista hid her face in her hands and hunched over the sudden pain in her gut as shame hit her.
"You're not in this alone," Torchay had said.
She had forgotten that. Had got so caught up in what she could do, so wrapped up in being the Reinine, in being the one with all the pretty magic, she had forgotten that none of it was actually hers.
All of it—the magic, the title, even her precious family—all had been given to her by the One Ruler of All. All, not just Adara or Daryath, but everything. Including life itself. Her very life was a gift from the One, and she had forgotten.
"I'm sorry,” she whispered, rocking herself back and forth, weeping in remorse. Of course the magic wouldn't come, if she failed to recognize its source. It came through her iliasti, the godmarked, but it came from the One. And it was not meant to be used for her petty whims or to make her look important. She herself had no power at all.
She'd been able to call the magic to heal Padrey. Maybe because her focus had been on him, not herself. But she hadn't learned from it. Now, again the magic wouldn't answer—perhaps to be sure she did learn—and she didn't know how to fix it.
A whisper of sound brought her head up, her hand swiping across hot, wet eyes when Torchay, Obed and Fox burst quietly into the room. The others followed the instant Fox signaled as he tucked a pistol in his belt. He'd been the one shooting.
Torchay rushed over, sliding the last bit on his knees, sheathing his swords before he reached out to examine her. “Are you hurt? What's happened?"
Obed stood over them, listening at the entrance, peering through the crack between the double doors. The others stayed back a space, behind Fox who stared without seeing at Kallista.
"I'm fine.” She swiped at her cheeks again, pressed her fingers against her burning eyes.
"We'll see them safe.” Torchay apparently agreed with her assessment. He put an arm around her and squeezed. He must think she wept over the threat to the children.
"Are you sure you're all right?” Fox asked. He blinked, and looked through his new-healed eyes at Kallista.
She frowned. “Mostly. Why? What do you see?"
"What do you mean, mostly?” Torchay caught her chin and turned her to face him again, searching for injury.
She pushed his hand away and stood, wincing as the burn down her leg rubbed against her trousers.
"Damn it, what have you done to yourself?” He attacked her laces, to pull the trousers down and see for himself. “I don't see any blood."
"There isn't any. It's a burn, all right? I burned myself with my lightning. It's not that bad.” She watched Fox who watched her right back.
"I'll be the judge of what's bad or no'.” Torchay hissed as he exposed the burn. “Bad enough. There's blisters."
Kallista ignored him. “What do you see, Fox?"
He shook his head. “I don't know. It's—I haven't seen anything like it before, exactly. I—I can see it both ways, with my eyes and my knowing."
"Can the rest of you see anything?"
Torchay looked up in the middle of covering her burn with a soft bandage. “I don't see anything different."
The others shook their heads, Joh and Obed after them, taking longer to look.
"How did you get the burn?” Joh asked softly. “Why?"
Kallista couldn't meet his eyes for more than an instant before she had to look away. She licked her dry lips, swallowed hard. But she wouldn't lie to them any longer. “Lightning was the only magic I could call."
Torchay's head jerked up. Aisse clapped her hand over her mouth. They all stared at her in horror.
Tears filled her eyes again as Torchay laid his hand on her stomach, under her tunic. “Are you—?"
She shook her head, flinging away tears. “No, I'm not pregnant. Even if I was, it's too soon for that to stop the magic, and it would stop the lightning too. No, this is my fault. My own stupid pride."
"What do you mean?” Obed touched her cheek, his concerned frown making the tears come faster.
Kallista caught his hand, held it and ignored his question. Other things were more imp
ortant now. “Fox.” She held his gaze. “What exactly is it you see?"
He cleared his throat. “A ... shadow. I don't know how else to describe it. There's a shadow round your throat and down your chest. Over your heart. It's very faint, but..."
She looked with all her vision and couldn't see it. She wanted to scream with frustration.
"Where is it?” Padrey approached, looking back at Fox. “Here?” He touched the side of her neck.
Kallista shivered, and for an instant, she thought she saw a flicker of—of something. “Wait."
She pressed Padrey's hand flat against her neck, but the flicker didn't return. She slid her hand onto Torchay's nape as he finished his task, and she reached toward her mates with her other, still clasped in Obed's hand. “Come. All of you. The links are there. They're stronger when we touch."
They crowded round her. Leyja slid her hand onto the other side of Kallista's neck. Aisse covered her hand where it rested on Torchay. Viyelle set her hand beside Aisse's, sliding it up Kallista's sleeve to clasp her wrist. Joh joined Obed, holding her hand between theirs, and with a cheeky grin and a wink, Fox dropped to one knee and wrapped his hand around her unbandaged thigh, since Torchay hadn't put back her trousers yet.
Kallista opened the links wide, praying for the magic's response, but it didn't seem to hear her. She had only the magic given her so many years before, at her childhood's end. But she'd been able to see magic even then. Shepeeredatherselfwithherother"eyes"andsawthefaintesthintofshadow just where Fox said it was—over her heart, rising toward her throat.
The door slammed into them as someone forced it open, sending them all tumbling.
Obed was the only one who didn't fall. He gained his balance in a graceful whirl and waded into the champions crowding through the door. Fox, who hadn't had far to fall, sprang up and helped him drive them back.
Kallista kicked off the trousers tangled round her ankles. They hurt her burn anyway. She reached for Padrey, Aisse—anyone she could touch. She had to rid herself of that shadow.
Torchay moved to help Obed and Fox, and Kallista called him back. “No, help me here. The door is a choke point. They can hold it for now."
He knelt again and laid a hand on her ankle, but though his magic was the strongest of her mates, his presence didn't seem to make a difference now. Or not enough of one. She still couldn't see the shadow. So she would have to work blind.
"Forgive me my foolishness,” she whispered. “Help me now. I can't do this alone."
"O’ course we forgive you.” Padrey's voice startled her, sent chills down her spine as his words echoed with greater power, deeper meaning. “What can we do?"
Tentatively, Kallista reached for magic, but again it eluded her. She growled in disgust. Without her magic, she couldn't rid herself of the shadow, but she couldn't touch her magic.
"Kallista, let me take Fox's place.” Torchay pleaded with her. “He can see it. Perhaps he can see what to do."
"Yes, all right.” She had no better ideas.
Torchay joined the defenders at the door and after a moment, Fox edged away. He stepped backward until he reached Kallista. With a glance back at her to be sure of his location, he knelt and laid a hand over her ankle.
"Can no one carry out a simple task?” A voice—female and oddly familiar—carried through the open doorway from beyond. “All you had to do was kill her. She's half dead already."
Kallista gagged as something—the shadow magic—tightened around her throat. She couldn't breathe.
"No!” Padrey's cry distracted her men at the door. Not long, but enough for them to be driven back. Fox let go of her and returned to the fight. Kallista thrashed, desperate for air.
"Padrey, can you see it?” Viyelle demanded.
"Maybe. I think.” He sounded on the edge of panic.
Kallista was too near panic herself. She needed air. She grabbed his wrist, tried to beg with watering eyes.
Looking almost as frantic as she felt, Padrey scooped his fingers along her neck. She expected him to close his hand on nothing, to play at pulling away air, but when he jerked his hand back, the noose around her neck loosened and she gasped a shallow breath.
"Again!” Viyelle cried.
"I see it,” Joh said. “I see it too.” His hand brushed her neck as he pulled shadow from her.
Leyja joined their defenders, and Viyelle. The invaders had pushed halfway into the room, far enough to open a space behind them. A woman entered inside their protection. Shakiri Shathina.
The demon entered with her.
Kallista snarled, her strength returning as her iliasti peeled away the shadow sucking at her. “I should have known."
The fighting slowed, stopped as the two women faced each other behind their champions’ protection.
"You should have.” The demon gloated, speaking with Shathina's voice. “I knew this moment would come. You are weak. Controlled by emotion. I sent the assassin's darts to Arikon. I knew your faults would lay you open to me. Attaching the leech was a simple matter. I did not expect you to come here, however. Bekaara has spoiled my plans for the last time. The draining has taken longer than I hoped, but it was only a matter of time."
So long ago? No wonder she had behaved the way she had, with the demon's magic draining her all this time. And yet, it was her own fault. She complained about the duties and burdens of rule, but she had loved being Reinine, enjoyed the power it gave. She'd made herself vulnerable to the thing. But the One had still been able to open her eyes to the truth.
Padrey and Joh tore at the demon leech, barely staying ahead of it with the demon near enough to feed the thing power. Now she was aware of it, Kallista could see how the shadow magic had twisted her thinking, had reinforced her errant thoughts and urged her farther along the wrong path, bit by insidious bit. But it had only fed on flaws already there.
With a struggle, and Aisse's help, Kallista rose to her knees. Silently, she cried out to the One. Forgive me. If I've gone too far wrong, I accept whatever punishment I deserve. But my iliasti are innocent of what I have done. They tried to turn me aside from my wrong, and I would not listen to them, as I would not listen to you. Save them. Save our children.
"What are you doing?” Zughralithiss-Shathina demanded. “Stop!"
The leech magic tightened around Kallista's throat again, despite all Padrey and Joh could do. She ignored it. Take me, she begged. But save them. Please, save my family.
Everyone in the room seemed frozen, most of them focused on the silent, nearly invisible, deadly struggle around Kallista. Save for the three clustered around her. Joh clawed at the shadow over her heart while Padrey seemed to wrestle snakes near her neck. Even Aisse had plunged in, though Kallista knew she couldn't see it. Aisse brushed her hand along Kallista's throat. And the magic stirred.
Kallista grabbed it. Loyalty and utter devotion seeped past a tiny crack in the demonspell. With a sob, Kallista wrapped the thread of magic round her fingers and pulled it through.
Torchay flinched at her sob and Kallista sent reassurance through all her links. She caught Joh's hand, found a wisp of clarity and a second thread of magic. She bound it with that from Aisse and pulled.
Joh's gasp made Padrey look up. With a flick of his eyes from their clasped hands to Aisse's ecstatic face, he seemed to take in what was happening and slid his hand beneath the shadow onto Kallista's mark. Joy rushed into her and Kallista laughed out loud. She pushed the shadow back and took her first deep breath in too long.
"Kill her!” the demon cried. “Kill them all!"
The warriors’ stalemate ended on that shout. The Adarans attacked before the others could react. The Daryathi fell back a step or two, but more of them fed through the door to take the place of the fallen and push Kallista's people back.
She reached through the links to her iliasti defending them—too pitifully few—but could not grasp their magic. Half-frantic with fear, Kallista squeezed Joh's hand, took a tight grip on his magic and let go.
Yes. The magic stayed, even when they didn't touch. She needed the touch to recover the magic, but once captured, she did not need to maintain the hold. “Joh, take Viyelle's place. Send her to me."
He nodded and slipped away, exchanging smoothly with their prinsipella ilias. Kallista took Viyelle's hand and used it to pull herself to her feet as she caught hold of Vee's magic and creativity. Viyelle laughed as her magic streamed into Kallista and was bound into the web.
Torchay glanced back and almost paid for his inattention. Joh warded off the blow and Viyelle laughed again, coming to take Torchay's place with the defenders.
A clatter had him springing past Kallista toward the other entrance, but he held his blow as Tayo Dai bodyguards crowded into the chamber.
Good thing the big room hadn't been furnished, as many warriors as it held now.
"Torchay." Kallista called him to her, needing the calm strength his magic gave.
The Tayo Dai swept past her to join the fight—only six of them, but gratefully welcomed—while Torchay clasped her outstretched hand. His powerful magic poured into her. The instant Kallista bound it with the rest, the leech magic squalled as it vaporized in a wisp of smoke—as if Torchay's magic had grown so attuned to hers, she didn't have to consciously shape the whole for it to act.
"No-o-o-ooo!" The demon shrieked with both Shathina's voice and its own in the dreamplane.
Torchay brought Kallista's hand to his lips for a kiss, his eyes holding hers for an instant before he released her and plunged back into the battle. “Fox, Obed, Leyja—all of you go."
The demon lashed out at the three not yet bound back in. Kallista leaped forward to defend them, and went nowhere, restrained by Aisse and Padrey. She threw magic out to stop it, to shield her three, but without Fox's order—
The magic skidded, almost missed them in its haste, but Padrey's magic was not so wildly impulsive as Stone's. It listened better. Or something. The shields were weak, the approach skewed, but it served. Long enough for the three warriors to reach her and clasp her hands.
Magic roared into her—Fox's order, Obed's truth, Leyja's unconditional love. Tears fell through Kallista's laughter and she hugged them to her, hugged their magic tight, then bound it into the web as the demon fought to keep them apart.