Controlling Chaos (The Five Kingdoms Book 12)

by Toby Neighbors

  Coin had obviously been hard to come by since the Witch’s War. Assassins, even infamous ones, weren’t in high demand. With their skills they could easily have stolen more money than they would ever need, but the Mezzlyn adhered to a strict code. They didn’t soil their reputation by stealing, they were assassins not thieves, and they didn’t kill for free. Owant had been a decadent leader, but Muldune seemed to be scraping the bottom of the barrel. Branock guessed his retainer would be put to good use by the assassins, and if they managed to slay Zollin he would gladly pay their price, but he didn’t really have faith that the trained killers could slay a wizard and Zollin had proven difficult to kill on more than one occasion.

  Still, Branock didn’t mind trying every trick he could to get the result he wanted. Zollin had to die and the elder wizard no longer cared how it happened. Branock would have liked to have brought the powerful younger man under his control, but one way or another Zollin had to be removed from Branock’s own rise to the pinnacle of power in the Five Kingdoms. He smiled, certain of his destiny, even if he still hadn’t discovered exactly how he would defeat his nemesis. He was sure that it was only a matter of time.

  Chapter 16

  Lorik stayed long enough to eat and settle their plans, but Spector never reappeared. Once things were settled, Lorik left the camp and Zollin moved closer to the fire. He was cold, tired, and full of doubts.

  “Do you think we did the right thing?”

  “You don’t?" Brianna asked.

  “I'm uncertain,” Zollin admitted.

  Brianna shrugged her shoulders as she moved close to Zollin.

  “You didn't commit Yelsia to a long-term agreement with Lorik. You enlisted his aid, but didn't tie your own plans to his, or give him command of your forces. I'd say it was about the safest agreement you could make with him.”

  “You don't think it was wrong to reveal our plans to him?”

  Brianna thought for a moment. “I guess he could double cross us and use the information to get something he wants from whoever is in charge of Baskla, but it seems unlikely. I think what he wants is to rule Baskla.”

  “That's another thing that worries me,” Zollin said. “Are we trading one enemy for another?”

  “I guess you could look at it that way,” Brianna said, “but don't forget that you aren't just a king. You're a powerful wizard. You have powerful friends. If we must fight for Yelsia against the world, I believe we still have a good chance.”

  “I hope you're right. I just can't seem to stop worrying.”

  “I guess that's why you didn't want to be king in the first place.”

  Brianna put her hand on his cheek and smiled wistfully.

  “I was never able to see things from your point of view, my love. My own powers are so different from yours, so narrow in scope.”

  “But you are far more powerful,” Zollin said.

  “No, that isn't true. I can do a few things you can't, but my abilities are limited. Yours aren't. I just assumed that you would want everyone to know how powerful you are. I never understood that it made you feel responsible for others.”

  “I could selfishly use my magic for any purpose, I suppose, but how can I say no when someone needs help and I know that I can actually, truly help them?”

  “I'm starting to understand,” Brianna said. “I've always admired your kindness and humility, but even as close as we are I didn't realize how much weight you carry simply by being a wizard.”

  She didn't press him to say more, and for a long time he sat gazing into the fire. When he finally decided to try and snatch a few hours of sleep he found that Brianna was already resting quietly. The dragons had moved closer as well, and so Zollin felt safe sleeping.

  The next day they set out again, moving slowly back toward the Great Sea of Kings, letting the dragons hunt while they traveled. Game wasn't plentiful on the rolling hills of Ortis, but since the Witch's War most of the cattle that had once been domesticated were forced to fend for themselves. Brianna floated and twirled while Sorva dove after a stray goat, but Zollin was forced to hang onto Ferno for dear life as the huge dragon dove to the ground, snatched up a skinny cow, and then soared back up into the sky. Ferno didn't wait to feast either and Zollin closed his eyes as the dragon devoured the cow, hide, hooves, bones, and all. They made camp along the coast once more, letting the dragons rest before crossing the massive sea.

  They spent the night on the western side of the sea, cold and tired from the day's long journey. Zollin's plan was to head northwest toward Ebbson Keep once they continued their journey, but a late winter storm was blowing down from the north, forcing them to continue due west toward Selphon City. Frigid winds seemed to pick up intensity at they flew over the Rejee Desert. It was almost as if the barren, inhospitable landscape below them was feeding the storm with a secret, malevolent power, so that the dragons struggled to fly. Brianna had covered her body with flames almost from the outset of their passage west, but Zollin suffered. He raised a magical bubble around him to help hold in the heat, but the cold seeped its way in. There was nothing to be done but to huddle as close to Ferno as possible and endure the journey.

  It took them a full day and night to cross the desert and reach the coast. Snow that had blown like icy darts across the desert was collecting in huge drifts near Selphon City, and the evergreens on the nearby mountain slopes were frozen with thick crystals from hoarfrost. Zollin's body ached, yet it was the dragons he felt sorry for. They were cold and exhausted, with no place to go for shelter.

  “Let me stay with them,” Brianna urged. “We'll go into the mountains and find refuge.”

  “We should stay together,” Zollin said.

  “The dragons can't go into the city and I don’t feel right leaving them alone. We couldn’t have done anything without them.”

  “I should go with you.”

  “You need to see if there’s news and get more supplies. We need food and I need more clothes.”

  She winked at him, the flames that covered her body showed only glimpses of the smooth skin underneath. He felt his desire for her swell, but they were in no position to be intimate. They were still at least a mile from Selphon City, which had been in sight from the air, but with the snow still falling it had been lost from view when the dragons landed.

  “Fine,” Zollin said. “Get to the mountains. I’ll find out what I can and meet you back here at sunset.”

  “That isn’t enough time,” Brianna said. “The dragons need time to rest and to hunt, not to mention that you’ll get much more information once the taverns are full of drunken locals. Let’s meet back here in the morning.”

  Zollin didn’t like the idea of spending the night in a warm, comfortable inn while Brianna spent the night in the mountains during a snow storm, but he knew she was right. And she didn’t need the warmth of shelter the way he did.

  “Alright, we’ll do it your way. But please be careful.”

  “You know I will,” Brianna said. “You watch yourself too. There’s no telling what type of danger you could be in now that you’ve proclaimed yourself king.”

  Zollin watched Brianna and the dragons fly away. It felt as if his heart was leaving with them. Once they disappeared into the snowy sky, Zollin felt cold and empty. There was a hollowness to his life without Brianna by his side. Trudging through the snow wasn’t pleasant either. By the time he reached the city he was exhausted.

  The market in Selphon City was large, with shops all around a large square where vendors normally had booths set up. The storm had closed down most of the businesses, but a few remained open, tradesmen mostly. Zollin hurried into a tailor and slammed the door behind him so the whirling snow wouldn’t blow in. The tailor looked up in surprise.

  “Can I help you?” he asked.

  “I need clothes for a woman,” Zollin said. “No dresses, just cold weather gear.”

  “Is she nearby? If I could get measurements I could have things ready in about a week.”

>   “No,” Zollin said. “I need things that she can cinch up and that are ready now. Wool if you have it.”

  “We do have wool, just give me a moment.”

  Zollin bought several pairs of wool pants, which the tailor promised to add belt loops to. He also purchased half a dozen shirts and a fur-lined cloak. His next stop was to a leather worker, from whom he bought a belt for Brianna and a large satchel to keep the clothes in. He found boots in another shop, blankets in still another, and finally he purchased food, enough to last the two of them for several days.

  When he finally finished shopping it was mid-afternoon and Zollin decided it was time to find a comfortable inn for the night. The Gilded Lion was a large structure near the center of town. He went inside and found the common room half full already. A fire roared in the large hearth and there were long tables with benches in the center of the room, and smaller tables along the edges.

  “Welcome to the Gilded Lion,” said a wealthy-looking man with wavy hair and wearing an expensive-looking overcoat. “Do you require a room, or just a hot meal?”

  “A room please,” Zollin said. “A hot meal and good wine.”

  He held out a gold coin and the innkeeper smiled as he took it.

  “We have hot baths, and our rooms are the cleanest in the city. Tonight Vivyan is preparing oxtail with a potato hash and candied turnips.”

  “That sounds fine,” Zollin said. “A hot bath would be welcome.”

  “I’ll have it prepared straightaway. “Elan will show you to your room and see that you have anything you need.”

  Zollin followed the woman named Elan up the stairs and into a room that was larger than Zollin expected. A small woodstove was situated in the corner, its stove pipe rising up nearly to the ceiling before turning and running into the wall.

  “If you’ll give me a moment I can have a fire kindled,” the woman said.

  She was shorter than Zollin, with lines around her eyes, but they were kind.

  “No need for that,” he said. “I can start a fire when I need to. Wine would be welcome.”

  “I’ll bring some right up.”

  Zollin hung his cloak on a hook near the door and set both of his packs down on the bed. It was wider than he had expected, big enough for two people, and he wished that Brianna had come to the town with him.

  From his old pack he pulled out a set of clean clothes. The room was chilly but he didn’t plan to stay in the room long. He wanted a warm bath, a hot meal, and a relaxing evening catching up on news from Orrock and all the local gossip.

  Elan returned after only a few minutes with refreshments. On a tray was a bottle of wine and a goblet, along with a plate of sliced cheese and fruit.

  “Your bath will be ready in just a few minutes,” she said, before slipping back out of the room.

  Zollin settled into a well-constructed wooden chair. It wasn’t straight backed like most simple furniture; the seat was angled just slightly, and the seat back had a small curve that fit his lower back perfectly. He sighed audibly as his muscles slowly relaxed.

  The wine was a light color, sweet and crisp, especially when paired with the fruit and cheese. Zollin drank two glasses, letting the wine spread warmth through his arms and legs. He ate all the food as well, marveling at how different life in a proper city was from what he’d known growing up. In Tranaugh Shire he drank water, cow and goat milk, and cider when he was old enough. He’d never developed a love for ale the way many men did. When he’d first discovered his powers they drew heavily on his physical strength and nothing revived him as much as wine, but there was such a wide variety in both types of wine and quality, that he never really knew what to expect when he ordered it.

  He was feeling happy and relaxed when Elan returned. She led him down into a set of rooms that were under the common room. Some were storage rooms, and others were small apartments for the innkeeper and his workers. Zollin wondered if Elan had a room in the subterranean chamber, but didn’t want to be too forward. He carried his change of clothes and soon they came to a good-sized room with a large copper tub filled with water. Beside the tub was a table that had soaps of various kinds and fluffy towels.

  “If you need anything, just call,” Elan said. “I’ll be right outside.”

  Zollin nodded, then waited for the woman to close the door before pulling off his clothes and lowering himself into the warm water. He felt a sense of relief that was unparalleled as he sank into the tub. It was long enough that he could stretch his legs out even as he slid down so that his shoulders were submerged and only his head was above the water. He rested his head on the metal edge of the tub and for a moment lost all sense of time in the luxury of the hot water. He had been cold for so long that he wished the heat of the bath would last forever. Then he slipped down, dunking his head under the water to wash away the grime from his hair.

  He didn’t hear the assassin enter the room because he was already there when Zollin came in. Dressed all in black and standing perfectly still in the corner behind the door, the man had gone completely unnoticed. If Zollin had let his magic flow out he would have sensed the danger he was in, and felt the presence of the man, including his deadly intent to murder Zollin. But he had been lulled into a sense of safety and it nearly cost him his life.

  He was just about to rise back up out of the water when strong hands grabbed his head, pinching the hair that floated in the water, and forced him lower into the tub. Zollin kicked, his feet pounding on the metal tub, but he couldn’t free himself of the assassin’s grip. The man had a physical advantage as he stood over Zollin, intent on drowning the young wizard. But Zollin was much more than a normal man. His magic reacted to the danger almost of its own will, shooting out of Zollin’s upturned hands and smashing into the assassin’s chest.

  Zollin pulled himself up, dashing the water from his eyes and taking a huge breath of air as the assassin got slowly to his own feet. There were burns across his chest from the magical energy, and smoke rose from the singed fabric, but the assassin was undeterred from his task. He moved almost too fast for Zollin to see, flinging a sharp throwing dart toward the young wizard with a flick of his wrist. The dart, undoubtedly poisoned with some deadly concoction, bounced harmlessly off the magical shield Zollin had raised around himself.

  The surprise in the assassin’s eyes was only there for a split second, evident by the whites that showed around the dark irises. Then he dashed forward, a wicked-looking blade appearing in his hand. He dove for Zollin, the blade extending toward the young wizard, but a simple spell sent the assassin flying up and over the tub of water and into the far wall. The walls of the room were made of wood, but surrounded by stone and earth. Zollin heard bones crunch as the assassin fell, but the man didn’t cry out. Standing to his feet, with water dripping from his body and hair, Zollin raised his hands to cast a spell that would end the assassin’s life, when he was attacked from behind by two more men.

  Chapter 17

  Lorik walked slowly, brooding over his conversation with Zollin and Brianna. He felt a lump in his stomach, tension over what he had promised the wizard. Marching into Baskla was exactly what he had planned to do all along, but the farther north he went, the more his fear grew. Even after he destroyed King Ricard’s army, and knew there would be little, if any, resistance, some elusive fear nagged at him.

  “You did not reveal all you know,” Spector said. “That was wise.”

  “I’m not a fool.”

  “But you are too trusting,” the wraith said.

  “And you are too free with your criticism. I grow weary of your constant complaining.”

  “I grow weary of waiting.”

  “We will go north, just as I said we would. You will have your revenge and more. But first we need to collect our army.”

  “We’ve faced armies before, just you and I,” the ghostly figured growled. “There is no need to wait.”

  “Don’t be foolish, you heard Zollin. We have a plan and there is more than e
nough time to mobilize our forces.”

  “You are being naive, the wizard wants Baskla for himself. We destroyed their army, Baskla is weak. If we wait, the wizard will have moved in and fortified his troops. Instead of an empty throne you’ll be facing the army from Yelsia, a wizard, a sorceress, and two dragons.”

  “No, he is a good man. I trust him. You are angry because his power is greater than yours.”

  “It might also be greater than yours,” Spector hissed. “I could feel his fear.”

  “He has every right to fear us, but we should not take lightly the evil in Baskla. I can feel it as well, despite what I said to Zollin. It is powerful and growing stronger. We need their help. Don’t forget what the Drery Dru said, this magic in Baskla is ancient and evil. We must destroy it before it destroys us.”

  The wraith hissed, but didn’t argue further. Lorik, meanwhile, pondered what he had learned. Zollin was now king in Yelsia, that was good. He had meant it when he said that he believed Zollin to be a good man. He might be human, but Lorik had felt the spark of the wizard’s power, there was a purity and goodness to it that despite everything Lorik had experienced he admired. Zollin would keep his word, and the best course of action was for Lorik to do the same. They would attack Baskla at the same time and once they had conquered the kingdom with no king, they could carve up the spoils as the two men saw fit.

  Lorik hadn’t rested in days, and had eaten very little, so when they came to an abandoned farm house Lorik took shelter inside. The home was tiny, little more than a single room with mud brick walls, a dirt floor, and a roof that sloped down almost to the ground where the snow had built up at the rear of the home. There was nothing inside, but it felt good to be out of the wind. He kindled a fire in the small hearth, and stretched out beside it, listening to the old wood crackle as it burned.