by Sarah Hawke
She nodded slowly. “We are.”
“Well, that ability has to come from somewhere,” I said. “What if all your Red Sisters are connected to the Aether?”
“That is not possible.”
I wanted to argue, but this didn’t seem like the right time or place. Still, perhaps I’d found another pressure point I could nudge later…
“That carriage is filled with mined crystal, right?” Kaseya asked, her eyes narrowing.
“That’s the idea,” I said. “Why?”
“If vatari crystals absorb Aetheric energy, shouldn’t a large collection of them absorb a greater amount?”
I frowned, wondering where she was going with this. “Presumably, yes.”
“Then why is the aura around the carriage so small?”
I turned and followed her gaze again. When I stretched out, I could feel the gap in the Aether around the wooden sides of the carriage. But it was small—much smaller than it probably should have been, now that I thought about it.
“That’s a good question,” I said, the hairs on the back of my neck prickling up. “A very good question in fact. Thankfully, we have our own vatari expert nearby…”
I signaled for Valuri to come over, and she quickly detached herself from her game. “This better be important,” she huffed. “I had three Sovereigns and Dragon in that hand.”
“Gambling can wait,” I said. “How much do you know about freshly-mined vatari crystal?”
She blinked. “You mean other than the obvious?”
“Is its power cumulative? If there was a lot of it—say, a whole wagon full—do you think it would project a larger dampening field than normal?”
Valuri glanced back over her shoulder to the carriage. “I don’t know. I’ve never had to worry about it since I can’t channel anyway. Why, do you sense something?”
“No, which is the problem,” I said. “I can feel a bubble around the carriage, but it’s small—much smaller than I’d expect given how must we’re supposed to be hauling.”
“Interesting,” she murmured. “I wish I had a definitive answer, but I don’t. What are you thinking?”
“It’s probably nothing,” I said, wishing I believed it, “but remember our conversation about Telanya?”
“You mean our theory that she might be moonlighting as a crime boss?”
“That’s the one. What if this is some kind of setup?”
Valuri shook her head. “To what end?”
“I hadn’t thought that far ahead just yet.”
“Well, she literally had us locked up at the Citadel—if she wanted us dead or out of the way, she wouldn’t have let us out in the first place.”
I hissed softly between my teeth. “Good point.”
“Perhaps you were right about this being a test,” Kaseya said. “She may have ordered the mercenaries to escort a smaller load in order to see whether or not the Senosi are aware of the shipment.”
“A trial run,” Valuri murmured, nodding. “Normally I’d say such a thing was too expensive, but she obviously has plenty of gold. I’ve heard worse theories.”
“It does make some sense,” I mused. “She’s basically using us as bait to try and draw out the Senosi without risking much of the cargo. Clever and ruthless.”
“Those are two of the words I’d use to describe her,” Valuri said. “I suppose the only question is whether or not the mercs realize what’s going on.”
“You’re the one who chatted with them most of the day,” I reminded her. “What do you think?”
She frowned. “It’s hard to say. Like I mentioned earlier, their leader is a tough nut to crack. But just because he’s a good bullshitter doesn’t necessarily mean anything sinister. He’s expecting to fight and he’s confident in his men.”
“Hopefully it’s not misplaced,” I murmured. Even though Kaseya’s theory made perfect sense, the nervous knots in my gut refused to untangle. Something was wrong here—I was sure of it.
“I’ll see if I can learn anything else while playing cards,” Valuri offered. “But in any event, at least one of us should be awake at all times. Maybe two.”
“Definitely two,” I said. “I’m not willing to take any chances.”
***
Against all odds, the mercenaries behaved themselves overnight. All three of us managed to snag at least a few hours of sleep, and Valuri won a pouch full of gold at sejaak, I was frankly a bit surprised she didn’t find the cutest merc and fuck him in his tent just for kicks, but apparently none of them were up to her standards. That, or she was just as on edge as I was. I blasted her with a few sparks of Aetheric energy to sustain her for the rest of the day, and we set out not long afterwards.
Yet again we weren’t ambushed in any of the obvious places, and yet again that made me even more nervous. The next day was even more of the same—nothing. Once Lake Dunarthe was firmly behind us and we officially entered the southern grasslands, however, I started to wonder if we had all been wrong about this whole thing. Maybe the Senosi didn’t know about the caravan. Maybe this would be the easiest gold I had ever made in my life.
I had almost convinced myself to believe that when we rolled over a steep hill and spotted a group of armored riders about a mile away across the plains. A Silver Fist banner rippled in the air above them.
“Looks like our lucky day,” Koth said from his perch up on the carriage. “The knights probably have a camp nearby. We can stay with them tonight and head the rest of the way into the city tomorrow.”
He cracked the reins and pushed us forward. The sinking feeling in my stomach refused to settle.
“I guess Telanya’s ‘test run’ was a complete waste of time,” I murmured. “Unless the Inquisitrix has as army hiding in the grass somewhere, I doubt the Senosi will risk striking us this close to Highwind with so many knights around.”
“Probably not,” Valuri agreed. “I can’t believe it—I really thought we’d run into Ayrael by now. Or at the very least another pack of Huntresses.”
I nodded. “Maybe you and I have gotten too cynical in our old age. Maybe the gods really don’t hate us.”
“Now I’m really nervous. Those knights are probably orcs in disguise.”
I snorted softly, but when I glanced over to Kaseya she was frowning and shielding her eyes from the sun. “I thought the Knights of the Silver Fist were considered elite mounted cavalry.”
“They are,” I said.
“Then why don’t their horses have any barding?”
I frowned and shielded my own eyes. Even from this distance, I could still tell she was right. The knight’s horses were saddled, but that was about it.
“That’s…odd,” I muttered. Even the horses we’d seen in town usually had some form of protection, cosmetic or otherwise. Pageantry was as synonymous with knighthood as a lance and sword in this part of the world.
Valuri immediately drew her crossbow and peered through her scope for a better view. I lifted my spyglass and did the same.
“That’s not Silver Fist armor, either,” she said. “No inscriptions, no emblazoned insignia anywhere…a few of them aren’t even wearing helmets or plate.”
“They could be Duskwatch,” I said. “Maybe they’re—”
The words died on my tongue when I finally caught a glimpse beneath the hood of one of the riders. The long blonde ponytail, the piercing blue eyes, a nearly perfect copy of Kaseya’s features…
The truth hit me like a brick to the face. This wasn’t a “test run” organized by Telanya; it was a trap set by Ayrael and the Senosi. They had already bought off the Falcon Guard and stolen the original cargo—that was why the carriage’s aura was so weak. The crystals were probably halfway to Vorsalos by now…
“Oh, shit,” I hissed.
“Something wrong?” Koth asked, glancing back over the edge of the carriage. “Don’t tell me the knights have a bounty out for you or something.”
“Not exactly,” I rasped. I could feel the eyes of th
e other mercenaries upon us. The moment they started shouting, Ayrael and her warriors would charge straight for us. We’d only have a few minutes before we were completely swarmed…
“So what’s the matter, then?” Koth asked. “You look…upset.”
“Nothing,” I said, forcing a smile. “I just think it’s time we part ways.”
Reaching out to the Aether, I thrust out my hand and unleashed a bolt of crackling Aetheric energy directly into the carriage’s wheel. The horses shrieked, the wooden frame collapsed, and Koth was violently hurled out of the saddle.
“Get down!” I screamed, dropping to a knee and sheathing myself in a mantle of spell armor. The mercenaries had already drawn their weapons, and they were just about to pounce when I blasted the man directly behind me. The greenish-white beam of energy vaporized half his torso, killing him before he even hit the ground.
The other mercs wouldn’t be dispatched so easily. I would have been completely overwhelmed in another second or two, but thankfully the girls were already moving. Kaseya dashed in front of me, bashing her shield into the skull of one mercenary and slashing open the throat of a second. Valuri drew her second crossbow and fired, dropping two more of the men just as I unleashed another blast. In the span of five seconds, we had already taken out half of Koth’s men…but unfortunately, they were about to get backup.
The mercenary captain dragged himself to his feet and blew into a small horn. The baritone cry rang across the grasslands as clearly as a trumpet, and the unmistakable pounding of hooves rolled in the distance like approaching thunder. The hourglass had officially tipped over.
“Get the horses!” I shouted at Kaseya after she had smashed another mercenary to the ground. “We can’t escape without them!”
I unleashed another spell before she could respond. Placing my hand against the ground, I ignited the grass in front of us and then wildly spun around, conjuring a wide ring of fire around the caravan to keep our horses from fleeing and to give us some cover. While Kaseya scrambled to steady the panicked beasts, Valuri sprayed bolt after bolt over my shoulder. A few of the mercenaries closed into melee range, their shields held high, at which point she holstered her weapons and unsheathed her hidden claws. She whirled between the heavily-armored men like a dervish, and I was yet again reminded of both the beauty and the horror of Senosi martial arts. Her claws and body were soon covered in a mist of gore.
Just as she scythed down the last mercenary, Koth vaulted over the toppled carriage and slammed into her flank like a battering ram. He probably had at least a hundred pounds on her, and she tumbled end over end and nearly rolled into my wall of fire. The mercenary captain then drew his blade, an elaborate silver sabre, and prepared to slice her in half.
But I was ready. Whirling around again, I unleashed another beam of crackling energy. The blast was easily powerful enough to disintegrate half his body….and yet the instant it struck him, a patch of glowing green tattoos appeared beneath his skin.
“Uh oh,” I rasped.
I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a male Senosi, but apparently Koth was more than just another of the Inquisitrix’s hired goons. The energy of my spell rippled through his body, bolstering his strength and speed to superhuman levels. Fortunately, he didn’t turn and finish off Valuri.
Unfortunately, he turned and charged at me.
My spell armor cracked and shattered when his sabre thrust towards my chest, and I managed to dive away just far enough to avoid being decapitated. I couldn’t avoid the backswing of his off-hand, however, which smacked me so hard I flew at least ten feet through the air before I crashed into the toppled carriage.
The fact that none of my bones shattered on impact was incredibly lucky; the fact I remained conscious was nothing short of a minor miracle. My vision darkened and my head pounded, and I was reasonably sure a piece of broken wood had speared into my side. The battle around me became an indecipherable haze of screams and movement. I was vaguely aware of Koth charging towards me, and just before he skewered me on his sword a red blur leapt to my defense. Blinking frantically, I managed to clear my vision just in time to watch Kaseya fencing the empowered captain. A memory of our fight in the north seared into my head—back then, Kaseya had been completely overpowered by another Senosi until I had bolstered her with my own magic. Sadly, I didn’t have any strength left to help her again…
A moment before Koth hacked through the amazon’s defenses, a trio of wicked-sharp claws erupted through his back. Valuri appeared behind him, her eyes glowing green.
“Now, Red!”
While Koth was stunned, Kaseya shifted to a two-handed grip, swept her sword across his body, and sliced his head clean off his shoulders. It was simultaneously the most disgusting and relieving thing I had ever seen.
“Jorem!” Kaseya called out, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. A fresh spike of pain stabbed into my gut, and I belatedly confirmed that a chunk of wood had indeed buried itself inside me. My tunic was already stained with blood.
“We’re out of time,” Valuri hissed. “Get the horses!”
My vision began to cut in and out, and my consciousness waned along with it. In one second I was lying there bleeding to death, and in the next Kaseya had somehow gotten me up onto one of the draft horses. She wrapped my arms around her waist in the saddle as we surged forward. Arrows whistled past us one after another, and when I peered back over my shoulder I saw Ayrael and her men charging around the walls of smoke from my firewall. We had a lead on them, but it wasn’t going to last. Here in the open grasslands two dozen miles from the city, we had nowhere to run.
Gritting my teeth, I summoned all the energy I could muster into one final spell. I knew I couldn’t hurt Ayrael herself, but I didn’t need to. Thrusting out a hand, I unleashed a jagged blast of energy directly at the ground in front of their horses. Mounds of dirt erupted all around them, tripping their horses outright or causing them to buck wildly and throw off their riders. The whinnying shrieks were audible even over the thundering clomps of our mount’s hooves.
I didn’t have time to celebrate. The Aether seared in my veins as the backlash from ovechanneling threatened to set my very blood on fire. I clutched Kaseya’s waist more tightly, holding on for dear life as we vaulted over a narrow crevasse. My vision was so clouded by pain and loss of blood that I could barely see anything at this point, but through the clouds of dirt I caught a glimpse of a single unharmed rider, her blonde ponytail fluttering in the wind as she watched us escape. She did not pursue.
A thin smile touched my lips just before the darkness claimed me.
6
The pain when I awoke was less intense than I feared, but still bad enough to make me groan and grimace. “What…?”
“There you are,” Valuri’s voice called from somewhere. “You better wake the fuck the up, Jorem. You need to heal yourself!”
Darkness greeted my eyes when they finally fluttered back open, and until I spotted the moon hanging in the sky I genuinely feared I might have been blind. My right side burned like I was on fire, though when I clutched at the wound I felt the warm stickiness of fresh blood.
“We’re safe for the moment. My sister gave up the chase.”
I heard Kaseya before I saw her leaning over me. I had no idea where we were, though the scent of grass still flooded my nostrils. When I eventually mustered the strength to lean up, I saw the lights and towers of Highwind far in the distance.
“Well, shit,” I muttered.
“You’re lucky to be alive,” Valuri said. “If not for Red here, you never would have made it this far.”
“Healing salve,” Kaseya explained, touching my forehead. “It stanched the bleeding, but it’s not strong enough to mend the wound.”
Nodding, I took a deep breath and reached back out to the Aether. It flowed through me almost tepidly, as if it were afraid of triggering another backlash. But I still mustered up enough energy for a healing spell, and when I touched my wound
the pain diminished almost instantly.
“You were right about Koth being a con artist,” I muttered. “I guess he was even better than you thought.”
Valuri grimaced as she squeezed my arm. “He wasn’t a real Senosi, but he had obviously undergone a similar ritual. I can’t believe the Inquisitrix would give that kind of power to a man.”
“I can’t believe a lot of things right now. How the hell we’re still alive, for one.”
Kaseya touched my cheek. “I am sorry I could not protect you. This is my fault.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, believe me,” I assured her. “You were amazing. You both were.”
“Not amazing enough,” Valuri said, scowling in frustration. “I should have seen through Koth’s bullshit right away.”
“It doesn’t matter now. We’re alive—that’s what counts.”
She sighed and pursed her lips. “We’re about twenty miles out from the city. I know you need some rest, but if you’re up to it I think it would be safer to get inside the walls if at all possible.”
“At least until the Headmistress realizes we do not have her cargo,” Kaseya said. “She does not strike me as the forgiving type.”
“This is all her fault,” Valuri said. “The Senosi obviously stole the cargo at the source, which means those mercs had already been compromised. Telanya was a fool to trust them. How the hell has she built an underworld empire making that kind of novice mistake?”
I wasn’t sure if it was the blood loss, the head wound, or just a random, well-timed epiphany, but the moment the words left Valuri’s mouth the last piece of the puzzle finally clicked into place.
“We should get back to the city,” I said, leaning up. “Telanya still needs to know what happened.”
Kaseya frowned at me. “You are certain?”