“You’re not Alphonse,” Starbride whispered.
“What’s going on?” Hugo asked.
Pennynail tugged sharply on not-Alphonse’s arms, but he only laughed. “Averie was easier. I erased what she had and wrote over it, but this one… Tsk. As a pyradisté, his mind was closed to me, but I didn’t really need his thoughts.” As much as he could, not-Alphonse leaned forward, ignoring the fact that Pennynail twisted his arms nearly out of their sockets. “I stuck a bit of metal above his eye, through the bone and into the brain, and then I just sort of…messed about. The knowledge monks helped me with the research. Fascinating stuff.”
Starbride felt her gorge rise, and her headache spiked. She swallowed three times before she asked, “Roland?”
Everyone but Pennynail took a step back. “How?” Master Bernard said.
“Fool, I just told you. I scraped out what I needed and put myself in its place. Once we’d scratched him out, the rest was…cake.”
They heard screams again, closer.
“Ah, that’ll be me,” not-Alphonse said. “I’m so glad I’ll get to see it.”
Starbride had been right from the very beginning. Roland never trusted anyone he couldn’t control. She should have known that, should have gotten rid of Alphonse when she had the chance. He was already dead!
Starbride’s head pounded so hard she saw purple spots at the edges of her vision. “Whatever you’ve done, it won’t matter. You won’t win.”
He snorted. “Spare me the heartfelt speeches. I’ll take that army apart.”
Hugo touched Starbride’s shoulder. “Maybe we should do something with him.”
“Like introduce him to his grave,” Dawnmother said.
Freddie nodded, but Master Bernard frowned. “I don’t really think cold-blooded—”
“Everyone, please shut up.” Starbride pressed her thumb against her forehead and tried to think.
“Headache?” not-Alphonse asked cheerfully.
Dawnmother glared at him. “Be quiet. Are you all right, Star?”
“Of course she’s not,” not-Alphonse said. “She’s too busy thinking of me ripping her new family limb from limb.” He smiled, a look that was all Roland. “How do you want Katya? Burnt and blackened? Blood and bones scattered like seeds?”
He sounded more and more like Roland all the time. “Shut up.” Her head pounded so hard she could hear it, and she felt her grimace become a snarl.
“Or maybe…” He shut his eyes tightly and gave a delighted little laugh. “Maybe I’ll scoop out what’s in her head and take up residence.” His eyes opened to slits. “I’ll let you get close, take you in my arms, wait until you whisper in my ear—”
Starbride moved. The pounding in her head seemed to pull her along. Before anyone could ask, she pulled a knife from one of Pennynail’s many sheathes, and as the others cried out, she rammed it into not-Alphonse’s chest.
When her headache momentarily muted, she knew she’d made the right decision.
Not-Alphonse sagged, and Starbride helped lower him to the ground. He still smiled but now with blood-stained teeth. “See you soon,” he whispered.
Chapter Thirty-three
Katya
When they heard the cry to show their colors, Katya couldn’t help but grin. Starbride was a woman who hadn’t come from royalty, wasn’t used to leading, and had even expressed the desire to never be put in that position. How she’d taken to it and refused to abandon those that looked to her for leadership took Katya’s breath away even more than the wild Fiends did.
As they watched the palace, Redtrue concentrated on a pyramid, her brow furrowed.
“Anything?” Katya asked.
“It’s…difficult. I’ve had this large headache ever since we came near this place. It must be the Fiend magic in the air.”
“Or the fact that we’re sneaking into a viper’s nest headed by an insane pyradisté who also happens to be a monster,” Castelle said.
“Look.” Brutal pointed toward the palace. A group of corpse Fiends barreled out of the doors and streamed into the street.
“Well, that’s one less problem to worry about,” Katya said. After she spoke, she saw what she’d been waiting for: Roland, with a host of people surrounding him, left the palace and ventured into the city.
Where Starbride was.
Katya’s mother clutched her arm. “If we cripple him in there, Starbride will have far less to worry about.”
They hurried around the palace to the royal stables. A quick peek through the gate showed it abandoned, empty of horses and grooms. They scaled the gate and hurried into the barn nearest the palace walls. When Katya had lived there, the secret door into the palace had been guarded by a pyramid tuned to open for anyone in the Order. She was certain Roland hadn’t left it that way.
“Make some room,” Katya said. “Redtrue, you’re up.”
They gathered in one of the stalls and crouched in the hay, out of the way of any exploding shards of brick and wood. “Do it, Redtrue.”
“There is a pyramid on the door. I knew that already.”
“I didn’t see you scan it,” Katya said.
“I don’t need a pyramid to sense other pyramids, not from close by. Your pyradistés do?”
“Never mind that now. Can you cancel this pyramid?”
“Shame that there exist pyramids that need to be cancelled,” she muttered. “It’s done.”
“Fast,” Castelle said.
Far faster than anything Katya had ever seen. “Are you sure?”
Redtrue gave her a sour look. She strode forward and pushed on the door, and it swung open under her light touch.
Katya stepped inside. “Are there any more?”
“Nearby? No.”
Katya glanced at the locking pyramid. Instead of the darkened state she was used to seeing with cancelled pyramids, this one glowed a soft, milky white. “What did you do?”
“Cleansed it. The adsna flows open and without limits. Locking, trapping, killing, these are not its usual states. It wants to be cleansed.”
“An interesting discussion for another time,” Ma said as she stepped inside. “Right now, we need to be moving and cleansing all we can.”
Redtrue made a light pyramid glow, one of the things both adsnazi and pyradistés had in common, and they hurried into the secret passageways. Starbride had heard of a large mind-control pyramid in one of the ballrooms, so that would be their first stop. Redtrue kept rubbing her head and grimacing, and Katya had to wonder if it was the capstone under the palace that was giving her fits. If she thought a door lock needed to be cleansed, Katya couldn’t imagine what she’d think of the pyramid that housed Yanchasa.
But maybe she could get rid of him entirely. The thought nearly gave Katya pause.
As they approached the door that led into the back of the ballroom, Katya couldn’t help but become lost in memory. She’d crept down a similar tunnel months before, hoping to save her father from a mob. She’d fought Roland in that ballroom, seen Earl Lamont and Magistrate Anthony die there. She’d lost Averie there.
Katya forced a snarl instead of letting sadness overtake her.
Redtrue cleansed the pyramid that guarded this door, but it took her longer than last time. She’d leaned on Castelle’s arm, her face drawn in pain. “There’s something here,” she said.
“The mind control pyramid?” Katya asked.
“It’s all around us.” Redtrue patted the smaller bag she carried. “Stay near me, and the mind control should not affect you.”
Katya eased the door open a crack. This one had no curtained antechamber, but did have a small dais and large chair reserved for royalty. Roland hadn’t removed it. He’d need somewhere to sit, after all.
Beyond that, Katya glimpsed the glinting edge of the pyramid. A guard crossed into her vision and then out again. There had to be quite a few in the room, and they’d all be under the influence of the pyramid. If she dashed in, she might get the upper hand befo
re they realized what was happening.
“Redtrue,” Katya whispered, “can you cleanse the pyramid that’s out there from in here?”
Redtrue focused. Her chest fell up and down heavily, and she couldn’t seem to breathe without opening her mouth. “I need to be closer.”
If the pyramid was sapping Redtrue’s strength, Katya didn’t see how being closer would do any better. “Can you walk?”
“Of course I can.”
“Give me the pyramid that’s protecting us from mind control,” Katya said.
Redtrue frowned but handed it over. Katya slung it around herself. “We stay together, move toward the pyramid, and break it the old-fashioned way. We’ll keep the guards busy, Ma. You hack at the pyramid.”
Her mother nodded and clutched her long knife.
“Am I to stay here and weave your shrouds?” Redtrue asked as she sagged against the wall.
“You come in after everyone is distracted and focus on any corpse Fiends. If there aren’t any, try to cancel that pyramid. We’ll get it one way or another. Ready?”
When they all nodded, Katya barreled through the door. A man standing just inside turned in surprise and fumbled for his weapon. Katya ran him through. Wounding was a luxury they didn’t have, not when there were at least fifteen guards in the room.
They struck down a handful in the first few seconds. As a strength monk charged them, the real fight began. Brutal caught the monk’s mace on his own, and the two traded blows. Katya slowed; they all had to stay together. She went back to back with Castelle, keeping Ma and Brutal as close as the fight allowed. Katya heard the ring of steel behind her and knew Castelle had engaged an opponent.
Another monk closed with Katya. She was a large woman, heavily muscled, but strong didn’t always mean fast. She launched a haymaker that would have taken Katya’s head off, but Katya ducked and sliced at the monk’s unprotected knees. She fell with a shriek. Katya rammed her pommel into the monk’s forehead with an audible crack. She collapsed, and even with everything, Katya hoped she wasn’t dead. She couldn’t have been more than an initiate.
“Katya,” Ma said, “the door.”
A pair of corpse Fiends slinked inside, but Katya had to turn her attention to another opponent, a leather-wearing swordswoman who was far from an initiate. “Keep an eye on them, Ma.”
Katya blocked the swordswoman’s thrust and launched her own attacks, which were blocked with quick precision.
“They’re down,” Ma said.
Katya almost jerked in surprise. She locked her rapier with the swordswoman’s blade and pushed, getting enough room to see Redtrue grasping a glowing pyramid and leaning on the room’s only chair. The corpse Fiends lay on the dais in front of her like cut marionettes. Katya felt new strength flow through her limbs. She blocked the swordswoman’s next thrust and stepped close to punch. The swordswoman grunted as Katya struck her chest, but she didn’t double over. She pushed Katya away.
Ma darted in from the side and stabbed the swordswoman’s arm with her long knife.
When the swordswoman glanced that way, Katya stabbed her in the neck. “Stay behind me, Ma.”
Brutal and Castelle were still fighting and appeared unwounded. Katya’s spirits lifted further. They could defeat any pack of fighters Roland had mind-warped, and the Fiends were no match for Redtrue.
Brutal dispatched his newest opponent and turned. “Katya—”
An arrow punched into his chest, and he staggered back. “Brutal!” Katya yelled. She turned, searching for the archer. Averie stood in the doorway, expressionless as she nocked another arrow. “Take cover!”
Castelle and Ma hooked their arms under Brutal and sought to drag him behind the pyramid. Katya kept the remaining attackers at bay with wide swings of her rapier. The pyramid shielded them, but not for long. All Averie had to do was step to the side.
“Averie!” Katya called. “Don’t do this!”
An arrow hummed through the room and sank into the chair just after Redtrue half-collapsed behind it. Katya drew her knife from her belt. She could lean around the pyramid and throw it, sink it into Averie’s heart.
She clutched the grip and squeezed her eyes shut. It wasn’t Averie, wasn’t Averie, not anymore. Katya leaned around the pyramid, staying low. An arrow hummed over her head, and she threw.
The knife sliced into Averie’s leg and clattered to the carpet. Katya cursed. She’d never had Pennynail’s aim with a knife. Still, Averie stumbled and grimaced. She reached for another arrow. Katya leapt forward and landed in a sprint. Averie backpedaled. She drew another arrow, but Katya swung and knocked the bow from Averie’s grip, not slowing. They hit each other so hard, it drove the breath from Katya’s lungs.
They crashed to the floor together. Averie grunted but grabbed Katya’s rapier guard and tried to shove the blade at Katya’s neck. Katya leaned up, grinding her knee into Averie’s thigh. She used her weight to push the blade back down, and it sank toward Averie’s pain-filled face.
Averie’s arms shuddered. One quick punch with the guard and Katya could knock her unconscious. Maybe Starbride had been right after all. Maybe there was a chance.
“Katya!” Ma screamed.
Fire punched into Katya’s back, and she knew she’d been stabbed. Averie shoved the blade upward again. Katya used the momentum to roll away, but every movement sent tearing agony through her muscles, and she felt warm wetness spread across her skin. A man with a bloody short sword pulled Averie to her feet. She bent to grab her bow and then staggered back as a blur launched itself at the swordsman. He flew through the air as if thrown by a catapult, his chest such a ruined mess that when he hit the ground he did so in several parts.
Averie ran for the door. What had been Katya’s mother turned to face her. All blue eyes regarded Katya with nothing but malice. Her four crow’s wings had torn through her shirt in the back, and her fangs pressed down from her upper jaw against her lower lip in a snarl.
Two more corpse Fiends came through the door. Ma threw herself at them with wild abandon and tore them apart within seconds. Katya dashed for the pyramid again as fast as she could. Castelle was still fighting, but she shoved her opponent closer to Katya’s mother, who sank her fangs into his arm and bit down in a gush of blood.
Castelle and Katya crouched by Brutal. He still breathed, the arrow rising up and down, but his skin was pale and bathed in sweat. His eyes fluttered open. “Katya.”
Castelle covered his mouth, and they listened to the sounds of Katya’s mother clawing and biting her way through the room. At last, there was no one left, and they heard her footsteps coming closer. Katya gripped her rapier and tried not to think of the hole in her back, the blood. She’d have to stab quickly, as soon as Ma showed her Fiendish face.
Yellow-white light surrounded them, and Katya heard her mother’s gasp. She stood, her wound making her grunt with the sudden motion. Ma’s look was one of wonder as her eyes faded to normal, and her wings and fangs receded, leaving bloody trails on her face. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed. Behind her, Redtrue held a pyramid aloft in one trembling fist.
Katya sagged. “Castelle, bar the door.”
“You’re wounded,” Redtrue said, sagging to the floor beside Katya.
“We all are.”
“Let me see.”
“Brutal first.”
“I’ve got him,” Castelle said as she returned. “Your former lady-in-waiting’s not out there with the rest of the corpses.”
Katya nodded. She’d be bringing more guards. As Redtrue tended her back wound, Castelle sliced open Brutal’s shirt to examine the arrow. “It’s not in his heart, or he’d be dead. We need to get him to a healer, or we might still lose him.”
Katya spied a glint from near the pyramid’s base. She picked up her mother’s pyramid necklace, intact on its long chain. She’d taken it off to save Katya’s life.
Freshly bandaged, Katya carried her mother into the secret passageway, her back aching like fi
re. She laid her mother on the stone and left the necklace with her.
Redtrue held one palm against the mind-control pyramid and clutched her pyramid in the other. “This one is cleansed.”
Together, they dragged Brutal into the passageway just as someone began pounding on the barred wooden door. Once they were all inside, Katya stuck a knife in the locking mechanism. It wouldn’t keep their pursuers out forever, but it would slow them down.
Katya leaned close to Brutal’s face. “How are you?”
“Hard to breathe,” he said. His eyes slipped shut again.
“Hold on, Brutal.”
“We need to move,” Castelle said.
It would be slow-going dragging two unconscious people while wounded, but Castelle was right. The light from Redtrue’s pyramid bounced along the walls like flickering candle flame. Katya turned to her ashen face before reaching out and touching her trembling hands. “Are you going to be all right, Redtrue?”
“The corrupted adsna…it’s…” She pressed the heel of her palm to her forehead. “The call of the Fiends…” Blood trickled from her nose and dripped from her top lip.
“Red!” Castelle reached for her.
Redtrue crumpled. The light from her pyramid winked out.
“Oh spirits,” Katya whispered in the dark. She heard the muted sound of snapping wood and knew her enemies had broken down the door to the ballroom, Averie leading their charge.
About the Author
Barbara Ann Wright writes fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories when not adding to her enormous pen collection or ranting on her blog. Her short fiction has appeared twice in Crossed Genres Magazine and once made Tangent Online’s recommended reading list. Her first novel, The Pyramid Waltz, was one of Tor.com’s Reviewer’s Choice books of 2012, was a Foreword Review Book of the Year Award Finalist, a Goldie finalist, and won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best Lesbian Fantasy.
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