To Whatever End (Echoes of Imara Book 1)

by Claire Frank

  Originally a storage area designed to hold supplies, the now-empty cellars spread out beneath the compound. Nihil’s men had already knocked down most of the walls, leaving the entire building held up by only a few beams. Pathius raced toward the far end and spun, looking out over the pillars that bore the weight of the building above. Number Four waited at the other side and gave him a quick nod.

  Pathius darted forward and brushed his hands against each beam as he passed, Absorbing enough heat to send a snapping sheen of ice and frost spreading across them. The building above shuddered the pillars weakened, dust and debris clouding the air.

  He raced past Number Four, leaving the rest to him, and flew down the stairs into the tunnel system. The passageway branched off, heading south toward the city. He’d be running directly beneath Rogan’s army, but if he and Number Four did their job well, Rogan’s forces would never be able to sift through the remains of the compound to find the tunnel entrance. Part of him wished he had a view from up above. He had to give Nihil credit—this was going to be spectacular.

  Booms from above shook the ground and debris cascaded down from the roof of the tunnel. Pathius’s heart raced as he staggered backward. Number Four darted down the stairs, tossing flaming stones behind him as he went. The ground shuddered again and Pathius moved back. He had no desire to be buried in rubble.

  Nihil and the others had already fled down the tunnel, so he nodded to Number Four. Grabbing more pebbles from his pouch, Number Four heated them with his hand before he tossed them into the space under the building. Pathius backed up, his feet slipping on the rocky ground, as more dirt and dust fell from the ceiling. The pebbles popped, bright explosions hitting the supports. Number Four threw a few more, sending bright flashes of flame under the building as they backed away. The weakened pillars snapped as Pathius and Number Four fled further into the tunnel.

  A great rending groan cut through the air and the ground shook. Dirt poured over them and they raced ahead, Pathius’s heart beating wildly in his chest. His swell of energy diminished, but adrenaline pushed him forward as the supports cracked behind him. A loud boom echoed through the tunnel and he pushed Number Four to the ground. Pathius dove down and they both curled up, covering their heads, as a huge blast of dirt and rock surged through the tunnel. The sound of the collapse tore through his ears.

  Pebbles clattered down from the sides of the tunnel and dust swirled in the air. Another creak sounded behind and a puff of dust blew around them. Pathius brushed the dirt and bits of rock from his hooded head and blinked against the grit in his eyes. He got to his feet and shook off the dirt. Number Four rose and brushed the dirt from his arms and head. Pathius shifted his mask back into place as his eyes watered.

  The tunnel behind them was completely collapsed. A precarious wall of debris was stacked, floor to ceiling, cutting off the entrance to the compound. If they had done their job, the entire compound had caved in, crashing and sinking into the ground, leaving nothing but a gaping hole with a pile of smoking debris.

  Pathius turned toward the city, away from what had been his home. A sense of buoyancy spread through him, despite the heaviness of his limbs as the last of his energy dissipated. Destroying the compound put another crack in the chains that bound him to Nihil. He had every intention of putting a wedge in that crack and pounding it until the chains finally shattered.

  Number Four followed, trailing just behind his right shoulder. Pathius took his time, reveling in the booms that echoed down the tunnel, the aftershocks of the compound’s collapse. He wondered if Cecily had managed to free Number Fourteen. Judging by Fourteen’s demeanor of late, he doubted she would have much luck bringing him back to himself. He couldn’t decide whether he hoped Cecily could help him recover or not. A part of him hated the thought of Cecily in the arms of another man, even if that man had once been her husband. But the blow it would cause Nihil to lose Number Fourteen was worth the pangs of jealousy. His only regret was that he was unlikely to make it to their stronghold before Nihil realized Number Fourteen was gone. The look on Nihil’s face when he discovered his prized subject was missing was something Pathius would have loved to see.

  The tunnel shuddered again and dust drifted from the ceiling. Pathius walked on as the next phase of his plan snapped into place in his mind. He glanced back at Number Four and knew the man would come to his side when the time came. Nihil had taught him to lead better than his father ever had. Soon he would no longer be taking orders from a man in a stolen magister’s robe. He would be the one giving them.

  40. WHAT ONCE WAS LOST

  Dust hung in the air, drifting through the pale light of glowstones. Cecily had led them through the interior of the palace, down into a deserted storage cellar deep below. The wide room was mostly empty, nothing but a stack of old barrels, a few crates, and some furniture covered with old cloths. Pathius’s note had described the route, but as they stood in the dank room, Cecily wondered if she’d understood the directions correctly.

  Callum turned in a slow circle, his nose crinkling. “Stinks down here.”

  The pungent scent of rot permeated the room. “He says there is a door leading down into a tunnel,” Cecily said as she glanced down at the note again. “But he doesn’t say where to find it.”

  “I’m having some doubts about this. I’ve never heard of a tunnel running under the palace, and underground hiding places are kind of my thing,” Callum said.

  “He says right here, it’s a forgotten entrance. Besides, he grew up here. Maybe it was something the royal family kept hidden.”

  Callum shrugged and kept looking around. Griff grunted as he pushed a crate across the floor, and the bottom scraped with a loud groan, but he shook his head. Sumara and Serv walked around the perimeter, feeling out the wall and looking behind the cloth-covered furniture.

  Dust spilled into the air as Edson pulled back a thick canvas. He waved his hand in front of his face and coughed. Cecily walked over and found he had uncovered a smooth wooden chest. The cover had kept it fairly clean and she ran her fingers across the dark filigree carved on the top. It looked Imaran. “Here, help me move this.”

  She and Edson pushed, moving the chest toward the center of the room. It sat on an old, threadbare carpet, the pattern faded and worn. Pulling back the carpet, Cecily found a square seam cut in the stone floor. In the middle was a brass circle, set deep into the stone, the center a swirling pattern of interlocking lines. She placed her hand over it and probed it with her Awareness.

  “What is it?” Edson asked.

  Cecily closed her eyes and concentrated. “A lock.” She felt it out, letting her Awareness follow the lines of the mechanism. It was beautifully complex, without an obvious keyhole. She traced the lines of metal, caressing them with a slight touch of Pressure until she found the right spot. She Pushed to make the mechanism twist, snapping the lock open. A brass handle popped up into her hand and she turned it, the metal scraping together as she twisted it in a half circle. A puff of dust rose from the seams as the latch disengaged. She and Edson pulled, raising the heavy stone slab upwards on a hinge, until it leaned back against the floor on the other side. Looking into the hole, she could see a set of stairs plunging down into darkness.

  “I hate tunnels,” Callum said with a sigh. They all looked at him.

  “Callum, you live underground,” Serv said.

  He shrugged. “I hate tunnels that aren’t mine. I like knowing what’s in them.”

  Cecily shook her head and laughed. Holding a glowstone in front of her, she made her way down the rickety wooden steps. The wood creaked and groaned as she walked, but they felt secure. Her companions followed and they gathered at the bottom.

  The tunnel was bare stone, but large, easily twice as tall as she was and wide enough for several people to walk abreast. She held her glowstone aloft, illuminating the walls. “What is this place?”

  Serv ran his hand along the wall. “Shaper-wrought,” he said. “But old. I bet this tunne
l is nearly as old as the palace itself.”

  “They dug this out of solid rock?” Sumara asked as she held her glowstone up and looked at the ceiling.

  “Stone Shapers can do some pretty amazing things,” Callum said. “This looks a lot like the Quarry, but older.”

  Cecily checked the note. Pathius had drawn a rough map of the tunnels, showing her where to go. The main tunnel ran north, with another tunnel branching off to the west. The westward tunnel would lead them to their destination, and it appeared to curve and wind, rather than traveling in a straight line.

  She led them onward, and they held out their glowstones for light. The walls were smooth stone with empty iron sconces secured to the walls at regular intervals. Pillars stood in the center, spaced widely apart, bearing the weight of the stone above. The rock gradually changed from solid stone to a mix of stone and dirt, the floor littered with pebbles and crumbling debris. The iron sconces were placed on the pillars instead of the walls.

  A tunnel branched off to the west and they turned. The new tunnel was much smaller, the roof closer to their heads, and the walls closed in.

  Serv held his glowstone out to inspect the walls. “I would guess this tunnel is much newer.”

  Callum nodded. “Looks that way to me. I wonder if Nihil dug it.”

  “I don’t know how far this goes,” Cecily said, “but I think we’re heading toward the Lyceum.”

  Cecily’s Awareness told her the way was clear, but they looked carefully nonetheless. If Pathius was leading them into a trap, it was possible the Sensor would be Shielding, rendering her Awareness useless. There was no scale to the map, so they had no way of knowing how far they needed to go. They crept along with caution, listening for any sign of Nihil’s men.

  Cecily felt them with her Awareness just as they saw the glow of light up ahead. They stopped and shrank back, pocketing their glowstones to douse the light. A soft glow illuminated an opening on the right side of the tunnel, ahead of their position. Cecily closed her eyes, breathing in deep, and focused her Awareness. She could feel the wall of the tunnel opening into a wide doorway. Beyond were a series of open spaces, much like rooms, carved into the ground. She crept forward a few steps, her eyes closed. She meticulously probed the entire space to be sure she didn’t miss anything, or anyone.

  There were three figures in the first room; the rest were empty. Her heart began to beat harder. Focusing her Awareness tightly on each figure, she felt them up and down. Each wore a mask, their head covered with a hood. Nihil’s men. One man had a slight frame and carried two blades strapped to his back. The second was about the size of Callum, tall and lean. He stood back from the other two, his back against the far wall. Her heart caught in her throat as she probed the last one. He was tall and thickly muscled with a wide sword at his hip. She reached for her link to Daro, willing herself to feel his presence, the broken piece of their bonded soul. She had to be sure.

  Turning back to her friends, she whispered. “He’s there.” There was no doubt it was him. Her Awareness touched the outline of his form. She mentally ran her hands over the wide shoulders, the thick arms. She knew that body. Breathing in deeply, she felt their bond. It was shaky and tenuous, as if something stood in the way, blocking the energy from flowing between them. But it was not broken.

  Anticipation rose in her gut and her limbs tingled. Her companions leaned close. “Three men, including Daro,” she said. She fought to keep her voice a whisper, excitement threatening to overwhelm her. “They are all masked. I’m sure they’re more of Nihil’s men. Sumara, as soon as we’re in range, hit the man on the right with as much lightning as you can muster. We take him out fast. Griff, keep Daro occupied for as long as you can while the rest of us deal with the second man. Sumara can circle around behind and jolt Daro enough to incapacitate him. We’ll have to carry him out. The note shows the closest exit, and I don’t think it’s far.”

  Griff’s eyes widened, his voice low. “Is that all? Perhaps we should have brought more of that army with us.”

  She looked around to meet everyone’s eyes. They nodded. They spread out and crept along the tunnel walls to keep out of sight as long as possible. Serv and Edson walked with swords drawn, Griff hefting his heavy axe. Callum brandished knives in both hands. Cecily kept her Awareness open, feeling for any sign they had been spotted.

  As they got close, Sumara stepped forward and turned to meet Cecily’s eye. She nodded and Sumara darted in front of the opening, her long coat flinging out behind her. She sent a shock of lightning from her fingertips, the sound cracking open the silence as the rest of the companions followed.

  Cecily turned the corner to find Sumara’s target surging to his feet. Her heart sank as she realized the man took Sumara’s blast. He stood, his masked face turning to look at his attackers. Reaching up, he pulled two short swords from behind his back and brandished them in front of him. They began to glow, shining streaks of orange pulsing from the hilts to the pointed tips.

  Griff closed with Daro and held out his axe to keep him from joining the fight. Cecily could hear him speaking in reassuring tones. “Easy there, Daro. We’re here to help, my friend.”

  Cecily hit the swordsman with Pressure, Reaching for his wrists to disarm him. He shook off her Wield and walked forward to attack. Serv and Edson stepped in front of Cecily and clashed swords with the man. Sparks flew from the hot metal as their swords clanged, the metallic ping ringing through the air. Serv stepped back and held out his hand, rooting the man’s feet. He only managed to stick one and the man tugged at his stuck foot while he parried Edson’s strike.

  Callum threw a knife at the swordsman but he knocked it aside with his blade. He gripped his swords and let out a yell as he pulled his foot free. His swords glowed hotter, flashing bright in the dark tunnel. Serv attacked and he blocked, before spinning and swinging for Edson. Sparks flew as their swords hit and Edson had to jump back, them from his sleeve.

  Daro swung at Griff, his eyes shining through his mask. Cecily Pushed at Daro, trying to keep him from hitting anyone. He felt heavy against her Push but she managed to make him stumble backward a few steps. Griff swung his axe, driving him back, still talking to him.

  The third man hovered in the background. He was dressed like the others, in black from head to toe, his face hidden by a black mask. He stood with his arms crossed, his eyes darting around watching the others, but he made no move to attack.

  Cecily turned her attention to the swordsman. His blades gleamed hot in the dim light as he closed with Serv and Edson. Callum threw another knife and scored a hit; the small blade stuck into his leg. Cecily Reached and Pushed against the knife, driving it further into his flesh. He roared with pain as he swung his swords to block Serv and Edson. They pressed their attack, driving forward, and the swordsman limped backward. He fought back but favored his injured leg.

  Sumara swung around behind, hovering near the far wall of the tunnel. Cecily knew she needed time to recharge. Daro clashed with Griff, and Cecily Pushed against Daro again, driving him backward. He swung, and his huge sword collided with Griff’s axe. Griff stumbled backward under the weight of the attack, but kept his axe aloft to ward off another blow.

  The swordsman’s blades arced toward Serv and Edson. Serv spun and blocked but the other blade nicked Edson’s shoulder. Flames erupted from his shirt and he jumped back, crying out as he tried to pat away the flames. Cecily ran to him, threw the edge of his cloak over his arm, and doused the fire. His face clenched with pain and she turned to see Serv pressing his attack. Two more knives flew from Callum’s position, but the swordsman knocked them away with one blade as he battled Serv with the other.

  Desperation rushed through Cecily, and she Reached for the swordsman with a surge of Pressure. She Pushed at the knife still sticking in his leg, and he yelled as the leg buckled beneath him. She held up her hand, gritting her teeth, and kept the Pressure thick. She let go long enough to attack one wrist with all her energy, and his blade cl
attered to the floor. The glow immediately subsided. Serv attacked, thrusting for his chest. The swordsman blocked, but Cecily Reached again, this time getting a grip on his other arm and Pulling it to the side. His next swing went wide as she Pulled, leaving his body open. Stepping in, Serv plunged his blade through the man’s chest. The swordsman’s eyes went wide and he looked down as blood gurgled from his mouth. Serv slipped his blade from the body as it dropped and slumped on the floor in a heap of black.

  Cecily turned to see Sumara creeping toward Daro. Griff yelled and swung his axe as Daro struck. Daro’s head whipped toward Sumara and he swung with a fist, backhanding her against the wall. She collapsed onto the floor, then struggled up to her knees. Cecily Pushed against Daro again, driving him backward into the room. Griff held out his axe and Serv closed in. Daro’s eyes flitted from one to the other, as if deciding who to attack first. Cecily gripped his wrists with Pressure, trying to get him to drop his sword, but he held fast and shook off her Wield as if it were a mere annoyance.

  From the corner of her eye, Cecily could see the third man as he walked toward them. Her heartbeat quickened and she prepared to attack, wondering what dreadful powers this one possessed. He held up his hand as he walked behind Daro, and everyone hesitated. He placed his hands on Daro’s shoulders and a bright flash filled the air. The crackling sound of electricity made Cecily’s stomach lurch. Daro slumped backward into the man’s grasp and he carefully lowered him to the ground.

  Cecily’s mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide. The man crouched next to Daro, his eyes traveling over Cecily and her companions. He stood and met Cecily’s eyes. “Go,” he said. “Now.” His gaze followed them as he walked past, and he circled around, disappearing up the tunnel at a jog.

  Cecily rushed to Daro and pulled out the collar. She wrapped it around his neck and locked it, hoping fervently it would be enough to contain his power when he awoke. His body twitched but his breathing was steady. She pulled off the mask, tugging it up over his head and tossing it onto the floor. Tears sprang to her eyes as she touched his cheek, running a finger along his jawline. She brushed the hair from his face with trembling hands and took a shuddering breath. “Daro,” she whispered as she cupped his face in her shaking hands. His skin felt warm, his bare cheeks soft.