by C S Vass
“The boy has gone mad!” Brandon said, rising abruptly. “Jacob! Jacob! We need—”
Fiona had a good guess what Brandon needed but he never was able to get the words out because Martin had shrieked like a banshee and swung his blade so viciously that he sent Brandon’s head spinning off his shoulders like an obscene bloody orb.
“Oh fuck.”
Fiona was on her feet, blade drawn. Jacob, the one-eyed man from upstairs, and another man who looked like he could be Jacob’s twin, ran towards them. Fiona jumped between them, swords crashing together over and over as she barely was able to fend them off.
“You killed Jamie! You killed Jamie!” Martin was screaming as he barreled down on Aiyana. She stepped as carefully as a dancer and soberly deflected his blows.
“You killed Jamie! He was my best friend and you killed him!”
“Yes, I killed your little cunt friend Jamie,” Aiyana said coldly. “He shouldn’t have gone sniffing around my business. He was as much to blame for his death as I was, and now the same can be said for you.”
Fiona was trying to cut her way through to Martin but the two men were stabbing and slashing at her with the fury of a hurricane. It was all she could do to keep her sword spinning defenselessly and avoid being cut to ribbons.
“You could have held him! You could have ransomed him! I would have paid!”
“Your anger blinds you, Martin,” Aiyana shouted. “Your anger blinds you and you fail to see the bigger picture.”
Whether Martin could even hear her or not was impossible to tell. He was still in a blind rage trying to cut her down, screaming the whole time. Fiona narrowly pulled back in time to avoid the tip of an axe that swung for her head. She couldn’t worry about Martin. Jacob and his companion were slowly gaining momentum on her and she had to keep her focus if she wanted to survive.
“STOP THIS MADNESS AT ONCE!”
Fiona heard the voice echo throughout the room, but even as she digested the words she leapt up from a forward somersault and felt her blade puncture Jacob’s stomach. Everything seemed to happen in a blur. There were men everywhere in the room. Geoff Hightower was there, saying something, but Fiona couldn’t quite make it out as she was cornered by two men with longswords.
Aiyana was yelling. The soldiers were yelling. Jacob was pointing at her saying, “That bitch stabbed me,” with more disbelief than pain in his voice. Through all the voices Martin’s screams were the only that came through perfectly clear. “You killed Jamie! You killed Jamie!
“YOU KILLED JAMIE!”
* * *
It took quite a bit of effort for everything to calm down enough for them to make sense out of what was going on. Geoff Hightower was there with his band of men and had their weapons taken. Martin, whose rage had not yet left him, was struggling against the ropes that they used to tightly bound his arms to his chest. Jacob was white-faced and bandaged, and every now and then would look at Fiona to shake his head and say, “You stabbed me.”
“You have all engaged in a circus of folly,” Geoff said, his emerald eyes shining with anger. “I cannot understand why you are so set upon self-destruction, but it ends now.”
“I thought you were in Sun Circle,” Fiona said.
“I was heading there,” Geoff said. “But then I received some rather devastating news on my way. There is a crisis that all of us must be concerned with. We have had our attention diverted by the Empire too long. Rodrick and the Vaentysh Boys have used that distraction to their advantage.”
“Why don’t you be direct, old man,” Aiyana said. “What’s he doing?”
There was something in the way that Aiyana addressed Geoff that made Fiona realize they knew each other.
“Rodrick has whatever weapon that he’s been after. The Vaentysh Boys have been gathering in Haygarden secretly. One of my spies was uncovering information about it, but has since been discovered. We cannot be squabbling in basement cellars right now. Whatever differences there are between the Forgotten and Haygarden are on hold. If we don’t act decisively and aggressively right now then everything will be lost. Do you understand? The Vaentysh Boys will not be kind to the Forgotten should they gain control of the city!”
“When have we ever asked for kindness?” Aiyana said.
Geoff gave her a long cold stare, and Aiyana sighed. To Fiona’s surprise Aiyana said, “Very well. Tell us what you know, Lord Hightower.”
“How is it that you two know each other?” Fiona asked.
“There is nobody within arms reach of a lever of power in Haygarden that I do not know,” Geoff responded. “But we have more important things to discuss. Rodrick has the Tome Vaenti.”
Whatever impact Geoff expected that to have was lost on them.
“I asked you about the Tome Vaenti,” Fiona said. “You told me you had never heard of it.”
“I was not being honest,” Geoff said. “I didn’t want you getting any ideas and rushing off to do something foolish.” Hightower gave her an angry look. “Clearly I needn’t have worried. In any case the Tome Vaenti is an ancient text used by the mages in service to the Vaentysh Kings long ago. It is said to have originated from the swamp witches of Morrordraed, and after the Vaentysh Kings were overthrown long ago by the Empire the book was lost.”
“Not lost,” Aiyana said. “Simply returned. I know my history on this. The Empire wanted to use it, but could never figure out how. Eventually they decided it would be safer to send the Tome back to its proper land rather than risk somebody in Tellos finding it and using its power against them.”
“But what does it do?” Fiona asked.
“Total devastation,” Geoff replied. “It’s magics are said to be used in a wide variety of ways, but to give you an idea of just how powerful it is the Tome Vaenti was the source of the magic that the godlings used to create the Moonwood. What Rodrick can do with it…gods only know.”
“Then its pointless,” Martin said quietly. He had given up trying to escape the ropes that bound him and there was a sick look about him. “Haygarden can’t hope to compete against such powers.”
“You have the willpower of an earthworm, boy,” Aiyana said angrily. “Does he know how to use the Tome Vaenti? Do we know what ends he seeks to use it for? What else do you know, Geoff? There are too many unanswered questions for my liking.”
“Rodrick’s plan is one of utter chaos. In Morrordraed there are many old and evil forms of magic, and it would seem he has encountered enough of them to become thoroughly fascinated with the possibilities. It’s become clear that Rodrick has not gone on a single trip to Morrordraed, but rather has been there many times.”
“Many times?” Aiyana furrowed her brow. “What madness is that Geoff? Making a single trip with Tellosian scryers scanning every inch of the border for him is implausible enough. You expect me to believe that he’s been back and forth on multiple occasions?”
Geoff sighed. “There’s not time for doubt,” he said. “It seems Lawrence Downcastle has been quite busy. My agents tell me that Downcastle has been engaged in a deep study of portal magic. Rodrick and the Vaentysh Boys haven’t been traveling to Morrordraed by sea. Lawrence Downcastle must have been taking them with magic.”
“Why would he do that?” Fiona asked. “What’s he planning?” It was everything she could do not to get her hopes up that this would be her chance to finally capture him. She had tried for so long, come across so many disappointments.
“With Lawrence Downcastle’s knowledge of portals supercharged by the Tome Vaenti, Rodrick hopes to create a single enormous portal that will stay open indefinitely—presumably until he has time to conquer the city. You see, Morrordraed is home to many ancient monsters and beasts that died out of Tellos long before even the Vaentysh Kings first came ashore.”
“But why—”
“Because it will suit his needs,” Hightower interrupted. “There is so much chaos in the city already, and with Haygarden’s government weakening the Empire has muscled itself
in. Rodrick hopes to shift that balance again and make Haygarden ungovernable for the Empire, even if that means setting mythical beasts loose on the city.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Martin said. “If they do that then everyone is going to hate them. Who would have any sympathy for the Vaentysh Boys if they released a bunch of monsters in Haygarden?”
Geoff Hightower sighed. “You have served your city during peace, boy, but you don’t know how the game changes in war. First, information is unreliable and comes from multiple sources. It’s entirely possible the Vaentysh Boys could deny responsibility, even set rumors through all the inns and temples in the city that some other group is responsible. Yet even if people undeniably come to realize who has caused this terror, he will still find his hand strengthened. He could simply choose to hold the city ransom until the people grant the Vaentysh Boys power through right of conquest, so long as they’re capable of closing the portal.”
The room grew very quiet. Not for the first time, Fiona felt a searing rage and embarrassment at what her brother was capable of doing to the city he once swore to defend. “Then we have no choice but to find him,” she said at last.
“I agree,” Hightower said.
“Then once again you find yourself in need of information only I have, old man,” Aiyana said. All eyes in the room fell on her.
“You know where Rodrick is?” Fiona asked.
“I do.” She smiled like a cat in cream. “Yet the Forgotten have a history that I’m sure you are all very well-acquainted with. We don’t take kindly to betrayal, and there are several debts to be repaid. First and most importantly, my brother’s corpse has not yet turned cold. The boy must die.”
Fiona’s sword was halfway out of its sheath when Geoff Hightower placed a hand firmly upon it. “No, Aiyana. That will not be.”
“He killed my brother under false pretenses. Or are the rumors about how you stay up late at night clenching your precious honor just fairy tales for the children of Haygarden?”
“I came down to a bloodbath,” Geoff said. “And you’ve been operating a criminal organization for a very long time. Your claims right now do not concern me nearly so much as the survival of this city.”
Aiyana’s eyes were full of venom. “Your city will be a seething pit of blood and ashes before the next full moon if I choose not to cooperate with you, and right now I hardly see why I should.”
“The courts can sort this all out later,” Hightower grumbled.
“You’re a fraud. Law and honor are everything to you, except for when its convenient to work with an underground group. Except for when its your own men that act like animals. They were invited here as guests and instead took coin from the Empire in exchange for assassinating us! Well, that’s correct isn’t it? Do you deny it?”
The metallic grey eyes of Aiyana fell directly on Fiona’s face. “I’m no assassin,” she said.
“So you didn’t take coin. You took something. You’re working with the Empire. You can’t fool me girl, I see right through you as clearly as I see through glass in sunlight.”
“Fiona,” Geoff’s face was deadly grave. “If there’s something that you know that could help us, now is not the time to withhold information.”
“Don’t waste your breath, old man,” Aiyana said. “The girl is full of treachery and lies. But it’s no matter. I will respect the terms of our agreement.” She gave Geoff a hauntingly dangerous look. “I just expect that you will respect them as well.”
For one long second Fiona saw doubt written all over Hightower’s face, and it terrified her.
“I do not go back on agreements” Hightower said gravely.
Fiona wondered what they were talking about, but didn’t have the chance to ask.
Aiyana grinned wickedly. “Yes, The Empire has sent one of their low-level agents to try to win Fiona’s trust in the hopes that she could lead them to Rodrick. A fool’s hope, obviously. If she had the slightest inkling where her brother was then one of them would be dead by now. But you’ve been deceived, Fiona. Smiley is no friend of yours. In fact, he already has your brother. You were to receive the message this morning, but I had my own people interfere. Smiley has also taken Donyo Brownwater, so if you ever managed to learn what the little miscreant was up to then now is the time to talk.”
“Smiley has Rodrick and Donyo?” Fiona gasped. “What is he going to do with them?”
“He insisted on only telling one person that. You yourself will have to go to them.”
“Why would you hide this from me?” Fiona shouted.
“Why would I do anything but have you all killed?” Aiyana said. “You came here to murder me. Brandon is dead. You, Fiona might have some use alive still, but that creature must die.”
She drew her sword and pointed it right at Martin’s head. A chorus of Hightower’s men drawing their blades answered. “There will be no more slaughter here!” Hightower roared. “Aiyana, we will speak of our arrangement later. Don’t you all see? If Donyo truly is working on some strange weapon that means its very possible at this moment the Empire has whatever it is along with the Tome Vaenti!”
“Then what can we do?” Fiona asked.
“You will have to get your wish,” Geoff Hightower said to her. His voice was filled with bitterness. “I would not have wanted it this way. You must go to him. I will rally a task force to assist you, but if we can resolve this without bloodshed, capture Rodrick, and free Donyo then I am willing to work with the Empire.”
Aiyana laughed. “Your convictions melt faster than a snowball in summer, old man.”
“You and I will conclude our business when this is over, Aiyana.”
“Of that you can be sure. But this boy stays with me. The laws of vengeance shall not be denied, my Lord Hightower.” Aiyana’s voice was high and mocking.
“You’re outmanned,” Fiona said boldly. “If you think we’ll let you keep Martin then you’re insane.”
Aiyana didn’t so much as glance at Fiona. “Be careful what seeds you plant today, Lord Hightower.”
“Brandon planted his own seeds last year when he killed my best friend,” Martin said bitterly. “We worked together for over a year. He was a good man. He was there for me. And your brother killed him.”
“Then you know all too well the need to satiate revenge. Like magic, revenge is a fire that must be held without a torch. It will burn any who touch it. I know and accept the consequences of that. Do you, boy?”
“You are dealing with me,” Geoff said. “Aiyana, I will not place you in custody today, but neither will you get Martin. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly well.” She smiled, and her eyes were full of hatred. The contradiction in her face made Fiona shiver.
“Where has Smiley taken Rodrick and Donyo? Where does he wish to meet Fiona?”
“Her old manor in the Leaf District. Apparently it has just been sitting there, rotting.”
“Fiona, are you prepared to go there?”
She nodded without hesitation.
“I cannot risk joining you. There is too much to win should this go well. But we will be nearby with plenty of soldiers. I do not wish to ask this of you, but if you succeed here today then you could prevent a war before it has the chance to start while simultaneously driving the Empire out of Haygarden. You must exercise all of your caution. If Smiley wishes a ransom you need merely tell him that we will pay it.”
“Fiona,” Martin’s voice was small and sounded as if it were very far away. “Be careful.”
Chapter Nineteen
The walk from the Stone District to the Leaf was the longest that Fiona could ever remember taking. Painfully, step by step, she prepared herself to meet Rodrick by simply banishing all thoughts of him from her head. This was to be a transaction, not a battle. Smiley would either execute her brother, which suited her just fine, or ransom him to Haygarden which would also result in an execution.
As she journeyed upwards towards the mountain she remem
bered Suomo’s odd question. The demon blade or the dragon? Which will you use? “Doesn’t matter to me in the least, old witch,” Fiona muttered under her breath.
She found herself wishing that she had better control over the manjeko. According to the Beast it was supposed to be an aid in fighting, but she had little practice with it that way and didn’t want to risk causing any unnecessary problems if it came to a fight. It won’t she told herself, over and over. She wouldn’t do anything stupid. She would be cautious like Hightower said. And then her long quest would finally be over.
She was there in what felt like too little time. The old house loomed in front of her like a giant squatting demon. Calmly, she pushed the door inward and stepped inside.
The room was dark. The last light of a setting sun shone through the window. There was still enough light to see her brother’s forest green eyes glitter darkly. He looked the worse for wear, the beard he grew was even less flattering in person than it had been when she saw him with the manjeko.
“Hello Fiona.”
She didn’t move a muscle. “Where is Smiley?”
He winked and pointed to a chair in the corner. Smiley was seated in it, a comfortable look washed over his face.
He was dead. Stab wounds blossomed all over his body like angry red flowers.
“So, what is this then?” she asked. “What happens now?”
“Now? We talk, just like the good old days. You used to get so excited when I would come home through that very door after being out for such a long time with the Brightbows. I must say that I feel that excitement now that it’s you who is coming home.”
He took a step forward. “Stop!” She warned.
“Very well.” He obliged. “Fiona I don’t want to hurt you. I never did. If the Vaentysh Boys have taught me anything its that blood is supremely important. You’re home now, and we’ve done Haygarden a great service by eliminating this Imperial snake.”