by C S Vass
The next few days came and went without Fiona truly noticing. They were in the cold heart of winter, and when she wasn’t focused on keeping herself from freezing or filling her belly she went to see Donyo and Martin. They played cards and told bawdy jokes and drank too much, but it was surprisingly nice to be able to focus on something other than her quest to find her brother. At night they would cook together. Simple fare: hard black bread and stew with dumplings made from flour. Sometimes there was beef or fish.
Of course Fiona didn’t allow herself to believe that she was putting anything off. Instead she simply accepted that she was tired. Her encounters with the Beast were beyond draining, and tapping into the manjeko would deplete her energies before they were sufficiently restored—energies she would need at the maximum capacity if she were to break through whatever illusionary magic Rodrick was using to hide his presence in the city.
But there was no denying that it was nice to spend time with people other than Brandon or Smiley. Even nicer was the fact that Donyo and Martin had no interest in the platitudes that they had relentlessly chased her with two years ago before she left. There was no talk that everything would be fine, because it had to be of course, or that justice might be delayed but ultimately could never be denied.
In short two years had turned the both of them into cynical drunks and Fiona found that entirely refreshing.
The one person who did not show up over that period was Sasha. Fiona was unsure whether she would have welcomed her appearance or not, but the truth of it was that Donyo and Martin had improved her spirits enough that she would try to make the best of it should her old friend come around.
After a week had come and gone she realized that she couldn’t keep putting off what she knew was her mission. She waited for an afternoon when Donyo and Martin had buried themselves in some pub or tavern, and sat cross-legged on the floor across from a brightly burning fire. She took a deep breath, and leapt into the manjeko.
The surge of power was explosive. It was as if before she had been using the manjeko blind, and with a wrist tied to an ankle on top of it. There was something inside of her, opening like a flower exposed to sunlight after months of clouds.
The world was still grey, but now the shades of grey were so diverse it was as if she could see more colors than she could before. The red sky above her no longer intimidated her, but instead became a new well of power that she could draw from.
Feeling euphoric, she drew vast amounts of energy into herself. As she did so it became obvious she was using the true sight incorrectly from the start. Why should she float around like a lone ghost? That was hardly better than simply being a human walking through the streets. She split herself, and then did it again and again. Seven or eight Fiona’s took form and covered the different sections of the city. There was nothing jarring or strange about it. Humans already had two different eyes, didn’t they? Humans already could hear and smell at the same time. This was just an extension of the already complex sensory organs of her human form. There was nothing to it.
She continued on, aggressively trying to sniff out her brother. The scent was there, and it was stronger than before. She could even see it, floating in the streets like a purple mist. But the mist was everywhere, and there was no obvious direction she should take to find out where it would lead to.
Several of her forms moved outside of Haygarden. The sensation of Rodrick’s closeness wasn’t quite so strong, but all the same he could be deploying some type of advanced trick to deceive her.
She continued to scan through the houses and shelters that dotted the outskirts of Haygarden and then came upon the woods. She knew the chances of her stumbling across Rodrick in the forest were slim, even if he was out there, but still there was no harm in exploring just how far her newfound powers could take her.
She moved past ancient trees, tall and proud and bursting with the secrets of a million hidden lives that scurried within them. She floated over streams and past babbling brooks, through the matrix of life contained by the woods.
Eventually she came across a cabin not too far from the city walls, but deep enough in the forest to be sufficiently suspicious. Intrigued and unconcerned about the privacy of whoever happened to live there, she moved towards it.
Fiona tried to enter it, but unlike other buildings in Haygarden that she could simply force her body to move intangibly through this cabin was somehow protected from her. Some magic was defending it against her advance, that much was obvious. All of the windows were covered with thick drapes and she couldn’t see so much as a shadow within.
Burning with curiosity, Fiona tried to enter from every possibly angle, but found that whatever defensive spell was barring her from going inside worked seamlessly. After spending a good ten minutes trying to figure out if there was a weakness she was ready to give up when the door abruptly burst open.
Eagerly she came around to look when she saw Reggie Downcastle staring in the doorway smoking a pipe, and Sasha Rains sitting behind him.
Chapter Fifteen
Hot rage flooded Fiona as she soared back into her body and grabbed her weapons. So that was the way of it? Reggie had kidnapped Sasha and taken her somewhere where he thought she would be out of reach. Well Reggie wasn’t counting on her having the manjeko, and he certainly wouldn’t be counting on her rushing over there to free his prisoner.
She was just about ready to leave when the door burst open.
“No, not now, I don’t have time for you,” Fiona moaned.
Smiley grinned, his golden teeth glittering. “We have some business to take care of, Fiona,” he said matter-of-factly.
“It has to wait,” she said.
He eyed her angrily. “It won’t take long. My friends tell me that you’ve not made any progress on finding your brother, nor have you looked into certain other matters of state that were entrusted to you.”
Fiona’s mind was racing. She knew that it would be faster to deal with Smiley than to talk her way out of dealing with him. Resigning herself to a slight delay she met his eyes.
“What are you talking about? Aiyana? I’m working on it.”
“Not fast enough,” Smiley said. “It just so happens that my agents are getting closer and closer to your brother. Some of my superiors are wondering why I even dealt with you in the first place.” He frowned. “Do you understand? You’re making me look bad, Fiona.”
“You looked like shit long before I ever had anything to do with you,” Fiona said.
“Let’s not waste each other’s time,” Smiley said. “There’s no point in denying anything. You’re playing both sides. It’s obvious, and it’s what I would do too so don’t try to tell me otherwise. You’re working with the Forgotten and with us, and whichever path gets you to Rodrick first you have no qualms about taking. Well I don’t give a runny rat shit if you and the Forgotten kill Rodrick, or if the Empire gets him first. What I do care about is the new situation you’ve found yourself in.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve already told you, Fiona. You have a unique opportunity to get close to Aiyana. You can kill her for us, and if you do the resources of the Empire will be at your disposal. Don’t you understand? We are very generous with those that we owe favors to. We can get you out of Tellos. We can get your friends out of Tellos. We can get you Rodrick’s head. Whatever you want.”
“Why does the deal always change with you people?” Fiona muttered.
Smiley grimaced. “We all have to play our part Fiona. Let’s be adults about this.”
“First you offered to pay me for Rodrick’s head, now you’re offering to bring me his head yourself. It seems a little suspicious. Some people might say that you’re scrambling.”
“A suspicious mind is healthy,” Smiley said. “I wouldn’t want to work with you if you didn’t have one. But be that as it may, we are merely adapting our strategies as new information comes in to us. I promise you, Fiona, work with us and we will make it worth your while. We can p
rotect you. Protect your friends. Whatever you want. But you have to help us. And why shouldn’t you? Aiyana is a ruthless thug. You’re going to meet her yourself, are you not? Don’t deny it, Fiona. I have a lot of friends whispering things in my ear. I know that the fool Brandon has let things get out of hand, and now you’re going to start dealing with his superior.”
Fiona kept her face blank. She was too distracted to really think about what Smiley was saying.
“The situation keeps changing, Fiona. That doesn’t make us treacherous. It make us adaptable and intelligent. I’m pressing you on Aiyana because quite frankly she’s more of a threat to the peace in this moment than your loser brother and his ramshackle group of friends. The Forgotten have ambitions that you don’t perceive, but if they continue on the path that they’re going then Tellos may well be thrown into chaos.”
“But none of that has to be my problem,” Fiona said. “Just so long as I help you with this one little thing you can get me out of here.”
“Of course.” Smiley’s voice was practically dripping with oil. “That is, if the pure altruism of helping your country isn’t enough for you.”
That was too much. But what should she have expected from the Empire? Their arrogance was well-known in Haygarden. “I believe I live in a free city, not underneath the banner of the Empire,” Fiona said. “So forgive me if the altruism factor isn’t quite there for me.”
“Ho-ho,” Smiley sneered. “So you’re finally developing a sense of loyalty towards your home. I wonder, Fiona, where was that two years ago when you abandoned everyone you cared about to pursue your own selfish desires? Ah—I see that I struck a disharmonious note there. So you’re not overly fond of acknowledging your profound hypocrisy. That’s fine by me. I’m not in the business of working with saints.”
“No,” Fiona growled. “You’re in the business of working with assassins.”
“Assassins get more done, as you well know. But there’s no point in me staying here berating you for the rest of the day. You’ve heard my terms. Take them, Fiona, or don’t. But keep in mind that if you don’t then the Empire will have to hold you accountable for working with terrorist factions inside Haygarden.”
“Amazing how Sun Circle would likely hold me responsible to those same charges just for speaking with you. But tell me, what of your progress, Smiley? What have you done to track down the criminal Rodrick Sacrosin and bring him to justice?”
To her surprise Smiley grinned. “I thought you’d never ask. While your brother still runs free, we have someone else who has been very valuable. I might have shared some information we’ve learned from him, but you’ve hardly done anything to deserve it.”
“Let me guess,” she said. “Kevin Lovewood?”
Smiley laughed, quick and sharp. “That moron. His head isn’t worth the stain it would leave on the executioner’s block.” Fiona frowned. If it wasn’t Kevin, then who did he have?
“Your brother’s right-hand man has given us a better picture of things as they are,” Smiley continued. “One Yondril, a fiendish little devil who has devoted a great amount of his time to serving your brother directly. He knows quite a bit about the Vaentysh Boys. He’s been very helpful.”
“What has he told you?” Fiona demanded.
Smiley laughed in her face. “Oh, no Fiona. Trust is earned, not given freely. You can’t spit on my hand and then expect to shake it. Although, perhaps if you a pay visit to our friend Aiyana then I would be a little more inspired by your attitude.”
Before she could respond he was walking away, black cloak floating outwards in the breeze like the wings of an overgrown bat. Fiona was starting to get very, very tired to Smiley and Brandon swooping in on her life. Now that the power of the manjeko was growing within her it was starting to seem more and more foolish that she had ever sought their help in the first place.
Why was she always so damn reckless and impatient? It wasn’t the first time her impulses had gotten her into trouble and now sure enough it was likely that she was going to get to Rodrick before either the Forgotten or the Empire and she’d have to deal with them afterwards.
None of that mattered now though. She could worry about whatever it was that Smiley knew after she made her way to Sasha and got her out of the mess that she was in. Without wasting another minute she grabbed the rest of her things and quickly sped out the door.
* * *
It took Fiona less than fifteen minutes to get beyond the walls. Buildings bled past her as she ran in a full on sprint. Years ago she would have taken her mare, Leona, outside of the city but what fate befell that beautiful horse Fiona never learned. It wasn’t as if she had the necessary supplies or even ability to pay for a stable should she want to.
It didn’t matter. The cabin wasn’t far. Fiona remembered the path exactly. She wasted no time in racing across the frozen landscape, eager to rescue Sasha from the clutches of Reggie Downcastle. It seemed that every time she so much as started to focus on one problem another would spring up from the mud and try to pull her down.
She paused by a large boulder to rest a moment and catch her breath. It would do no good to burst in the door only to immediately collapse from exhaustion. Besides, it didn’t seem like Reggie was planning on going anywhere anytime soon. He surely chose that location for a reason. Maybe he wanted the isolation to be able to adequately intimidate Sasha until she agreed to come along quietly with him back to the Leaf District.
As she rested she remembered the last time she had seen Reggie. It was so long ago, when her and Sasha were still students at Clearwater. Sasha seemed to just melt when she looked into his watery blue eyes. Even with a coat of blonde stubble on his chin Reggie had always seemed so boyish. Fiona had never personally gotten to know him well, but he had always seemed like such a jovial good-tempered person.
But Fiona was wise enough to know by now that appearances meant very little. Sasha might have been in a situation where she couldn’t quite stand up to him, but Fiona certainly was not, and she had every intention of bursting in and getting Sasha away by force if she had to. They could even speak to Shifter after and find somewhere safe where Sasha would be in no danger of being discovered. She would hide her friend in the bowels of the earth for a time if she had to in order to make sure she was secure.
After a few minutes Fiona felt adequately rested and able to continue on her journey. When she finally reached the cabin the front door was shut firmly, though there was smoke rising in thin plumes from the chimney.
Without wasting a breath Fiona pounded angrily on the door. Inside she heard footsteps. The door slowly creaked open.
“My gods, Fiona Sacrosin?” Reggie had the high and musical voice of the aristocracy. He was wearing thick purple breeches and a ridiculous puffy hat with a great blue feather in it that made him look like his clothes were picked out by a child. “What brings you here? How did you come across this place?”
She shoved him hard and stormed past him. He tripped backwards theatrically, arms flailing. “Sasha!” she roared.
“Sasha is indisposed at the moment,” Reggie said, trying to gather as much dignity as he could muster while wearing that ridiculous outfit. “You have no right to be here, Fiona. I am glad to see you but I must say you could not have picked a worse time to arrive. Things are very tense at the moment, and I really must insist that you leave.”
Fiona turned her full attention to him. “Listen you worm,” she said through clenched teeth. “I know what you are. I know what you’ve done to Sasha. If you think I’m going to let her stay for one more minute with you then you’re as mad as your father.”
Reggie’s eyes darkened quickly. She could feel a storm brewing within the man. Let it come, she thought. She would like nothing more than for Reggie Downcastle to try to hurt her. She would relish the chance to make him feel as helpless as he’s made Sasha feel over the years.
“I don’t know what you think you’re talking about,” Reggie said. “But I will forgive you
that. These last two years have been very difficult for you, as they have been for everybody. Clearly the betrayal of your brother has driven you to madness, and I’m not without sympathy. My father’s treachery placed a hole in my heart that I fear can never be made right. It’s out of that empathy that I will forgive your remarks. But it’s time for you to go, Fiona.”
There was a hiss of naked steel sliding from its sheath. Fiona twirled the demon-pommel blade in her hand and let it come to a rest pointed directly at Reggie’s throat. His eyes narrowed. “What then?” he asked. “You’re going to kill me here on my own property? With my wife, your best friend, resting one room over? You’re insane, Fiona. But not totally irredeemable. Put that thing away and we can talk about whatever is troubling you.”
He spoke so eloquently and sincerely that for half a moment Fiona was almost tempted to believe him. Almost.
She kept the blade pointed at him.
“Sasha! Come out here!”
A door from the other side of the room creaked open. Sasha Rains emerged barefoot wearing a plain white dress.
“Fiona.” Her voice was bursting with emotion. “Why did you come here? How did you find this place? You shouldn’t be here.”
“I’ve come to get you away from this monster,” Fiona said. “Come on! You’re coming with me.”
“Put that away, Fiona,” Sasha pleaded. “There are no weapons here.”
Fiona uneasily put her sword back in its sheath, if only to make Sasha feel better. It was obvious that her friend was on the verge of bursting into tears.
“Alright, come on now,” Fiona insisted. “I’m here, Sasha. Nobody can hurt you. Come with me. There’s nothing to stop you.”
Sasha edged forward nervously, and to Fiona’s surprised she gripped Reggie’s arm with both of her hands and placed her head on his shoulder. Un-fallen tear drops formed in her eyes. “I’m sorry you came here, Fiona. I honestly don’t know how you know about this place, but it’s not okay for you to be here. This is a private place, one for me and Reggie. You don’t belong here. You should go.”