by Drew Hayes
Coughing loudly, an act of politeness over necessity, Jack stepped toward the throne. Its occupant peered over the spine of a tome with dragons on the front and let out a sigh before laying a black ribbon between the pages. “It’s been a while.”
“We made a new friend some time ago. She’s tough, but not quite as resilient as Frank or me, so we’ve made efforts to work safer. Had a good streak going, too.”
“Until the sword in your heart,” the man noted. “How was that, in terms of deaths?”
Jack mulled the question over; thinking back to how having steel jammed into his chest had felt. “About a six out of ten, overall. Not nearly as bad as the fire, but still a long way from the peaceful death of a good poisoning.”
“Interesting.” The man rose from his throne, setting the book down in his place and walking slowly toward the giant scale. “I assume you’ll be wanting to go back once more?”
“You know me; I can’t stand to leave a job half-finished.” The glib expression on Jack’s face faltered, as his smile took on a wicked gleam. “Also, someone just killed me. That much, I might forgive, but they tried to take out Frank, too. Not to mention what they’re pulling with Marie. No, I’m afraid there are accounts to be settled. Crossing the Bastard Champions comes with a heavy toll, and I’m rather excited to make that chatty cock pay it.”
The scales groaned as the pale man laid a hand upon them. Gold began to appear on one side, coin after coin, filling the right pan quickly yet unable to tilt the arms. Something unseen was in the left pan, something matching the weight of every coin perfectly. “On the subject of accounts, you know that every time you come here the price to return only grows higher. Will you be able to afford the trip?”
“Don’t you worry about me; I’ve been working hard and saving up. I think you’ll find I’ve got more than enough wealth stashed about the kingdom to cover my cost.” Jack smiled as he watched the coins continue to fill the pan, dozens upon dozens. Once, a lone gold coin had been enough to return home, even if it was a rather special one. Now it took quite a bit more, but that was all right. Jack was a professional scoundrel; hoarding was part of what he did.
At last, the influx of coins halted and the scale remained balanced. Nodding, the pale man patted it gently before looking to Jack. “As one who brought me a sacred coin of the Ferryman, it is your right to purchase passage back to the land of the living. Your body will be made whole once more, and your heart will beat with life. If your body is in peril, however, you may find yourself back here soon.”
“Don’t worry; I’ve got a friend taking care of that.” Jack stepped closer, holding out his hands. “Although I imagine he’s probably a bit torn up as well, so I should really get back and help.”
“You are a curious man, Jack Spriggins. Most use this bargain with great care, only coming here on the rarest of occasions. Yet you have come to my home more times than almost any other, second only to your father. If death is what you crave, you need not pay the toll. You can cross on, and be done with the world behind you.”
“You’ve got it mixed up. I crave life, not death, I just don’t want to let a little thing like getting drowned or beheaded slow me down. There’s too much fun to be had, too many adventures ahead. And, right now, too many people depending on me.” Jack lifted his hands higher. “Any books you want me to burn for you this time?”
Reaching out, the pale hands closed around Jack’s and the cave began to fade away. “Something cheery would be nice. This place is gaunt enough; I could do with a light-hearted romp.”
That was the last thing Jack heard before the loud, shuddering gasp of his lungs filling with air.
* * *
Coughing, Jack twisted over before the water shot from his mouth. He hadn’t died by drowning too often, but more than a few people had disposed of his body in water, leaving him well-acquainted with what to expect. When the last of the liquid had been purged from his body, Jack looked to his side, where Frank was waiting patiently.
“How are you feeling?” Jack asked.
“Been better. You managed to knock the sword off course enough to miss my heart, though it was close enough to fool Godric while I slowed my pulse, but I’m still going to need some replacement parts before I’ll be fully recovered. Also, a few of those water creatures got some nips in while I was swimming us to safety. All in all, not how I expected the day to end.”
“I don’t know, it could be worse.” Jack spat a few times, trying in vain to get the taste of moat water from his mouth. “Godric thinks we’re dead, which gives us the advantage of surprise, and we now know with certainty that he has to be stopped.”
“That would make me feel better if we had any idea of how to do that. He’s got the backing of the Blue Fairy, a magical necklace that compels people to believe him, and who knows how many other tricks up his sleeve. We, on the other hand, have a few days at most to stop him, one fewer team member than we’re used to working with, and no idea how to break his enchanted hold on the royal court.”
Frank made some good points. As a rule, they were used to going up against stronger enemies, but they usually had the advantage in terms of planning. Few residents of these lands ever thought beyond what the Narrative stuck in their paths, so if one came at them from an unexpected angle it could take an opponent entirely by surprise. Godric, it seemed, was an exception. He’d planned ahead, laid traps of his own, and forged alliances to bolster his weak points. Defeating him wouldn’t be easy, especially without Marie. Any other job and Jack would have likely walked away, unless the payoff was spectacular. But Godric had tried to kill him, which Jack found annoying, and he’d stolen one of their friends away, which Jack found unforgivable.
“Count your blessings, Frank. We’ve got some time to work in, and our supplies were moved out of the castle in preparation for our escape. If we hurry, we can get our gear off the horses before anyone knows it was there at all.”
“Do you have a plan?” Frank hauled himself up slowly, the wound in his chest slowing his movements.
“The shadow of one, but it’s a start. First, we need to make sure all of the leftover powder from the shoemaker job is safely tucked away. After that, we find some Nivelle soldiers—I’m sure Godric has a few hidden here and there—and we get you some replacement parts. Then, we find a way to deal with that necklace.”
Setting a soggy hand on Jack’s shoulder for support, Frank’s eyes poked out from under his hood. “You’ve got something that can counteract fairy magic?”
“No,” Jack admitted. “But a kingdom this size is bound to have a few witches in it. I’ll bet one of them loves gold more than they hate strangers.”
Together, the two of them began to trudge away from the moat, leaving the castle lit by the moon behind them. Only Frank’s voice could be heard, whispering softly as they vanished into the trees. “Dealing with witches? We really are desperate, aren’t we?”
* * *
It was hard to believe. No…scratch that, it was impossible to believe, yet Marie found herself compelled by the evidence as she stared at the near-empty room. She’d already gone to the stables and found their equipment missing from the horses, and even the secret compartments in their saddles had been looted. While that alone proved nothing, finding an empty bedchamber did seem to back up Godric’s story. No one moved Jack and Frank without them wanting to be moved, at least not without causing the sort of commotion it would be impossible to ignore. So if the room was empty and their gear was gone, the most likely explanation was that Godric was telling the truth. His words rang of unquestionable sincerity, even as part of Marie’s mind protested that this made no sense.
“They just…bolted in the night?”
“I wouldn’t say just bolted,” Godric corrected. He and a pair of his guards were standing in the doorway where they’d been waiting since giving her the news this morning. “They also stole quite a bit of silver, some antiques, and a few of the servants’ meager savings. Only after th
at was done did they flee from the castle, racing away in the night.”
When he said it, the story hung together so well. Except…Jack didn’t bother stealing anything less than gold, and certainly never from someone as poor as a servant. He liked his targets rich, obscenely so, to get the most from his efforts, if not for moral reasons. Even if his greed had swollen to such levels, Frank would have stopped him. And more than any of that, neither man would take off like this. Not after all they’d been through. They had always known the arrangement was meant to be a temporary one, but they would have told her goodbye. All of these thoughts tried to take hold in Marie’s mind, demanding she see through the obvious lie, yet none of them could find purchase. Godric’s words smoothed over her concerns, shoving them away to some dark corner of her brain where they could do little more than whisper.
“They were mercenaries, after all. I suppose this was to be expected.” Marie couldn’t quite keep the tinge of heartbreak from her voice as she accepted her friends’ abandonment.
“It is for the best. You and I are starting a new phase of our lives together. Those two were only reminders of a dark chapter in your past, one that is finally drawing to a close. With the power of that ring and the uniting of our kingdoms, you will be a true princess. One day a queen. Your time as a monster is behind you.”
Something inside Marie, past her conscious thoughts, in the deepest core of her being, rebelled at that word. No one called them monsters, not to their faces. For a moment, one brief, shining instant, Marie was able to see clearly for the first time since she’d heard Godric speak. She could see the oily smugness in his smile, hear the insincere condescension in his words. For a flash, Marie was free, and her hands tightened into fists as she readied to show him what happened to those who crossed the Bastard Champions. She waited for her righteous fury to summon her inner beast…but nothing came. No shift of the eyes, no swelling of muscles, no sharpening senses. Her curse was truly lifted, the ring on her finger still letting out a soft glow as it kept her trapped in a human body.
“Marie, is something wrong? Be at ease, my future bride. The escape and petty crimes of two mercenaries are not enough to delay our wedding.” That voice, that damned voice, it poured into her ears and forced her off the small bit of perspective she’d found. In seconds, she couldn’t recall what had made her so upset, nor why her hands were formed into fists.
“You’re right, of course,” Marie said. “Let’s focus on happier things. There’s a wedding to plan, and I’ll tolerate no delays. Our kingdoms are waiting for this joyful moment of peace; we owe it to them to proceed as swiftly as possible.”
* * *
Finding Nivelle soldiers was easy, alarmingly so in fact. Word from the castle had gone out and many Nivelle residents were journeying to Villeneuve to witness the joyous occasion. That story wore a bit thin when one considered that many of those coming to watch the wedding were armored, carrying fine weapons, and far closer to the kingdom than they should have been if the news just reached them. No doubt someone with sense would ask Godric about it in the castle, only for their fears to be alleviated with a few enchanted words. Worrying as it was, the surplus of people made it easy to find new parts for Frank. While Jack might have avoided slaying total strangers in other circumstances, it was clear that Nivelle had come here to invade. A little killing was to be expected when one came courting war.
By far the bigger challenge was finding a witch. It seemed Villeneuve kept a tidy order on their kingdom; there were no backwater swamps where people frequently disappeared or whispering forests where the fog never entirely evaporated. King Adam had such locations flushed out or burned down; he had minimal tolerance for wanton magic in his lands. Given what Marie had told them about his life and curse, it was a policy that was hard to argue with, even if it did make their current task more problematic.
Mercifully, after a full day of searching, they picked up on a lead. In a small village not far from the castle was a woman who did minor alchemy, but had allegedly been healing horses beyond what a few herbs and potions should be able to manage. With no other options to chase, Frank and Jack stole some horses from the same soldiers who had unintentionally donated to keep Frank healthy, and set out.
Finding the woman in question wasn’t difficult, both because her cottage was off to the side, some ways from the village proper, and because no sooner had they ridden into view of it than Jack recognized the woman in front, working in her yard.
“For a woman named Lily, I see none in your garden.” Jack drew his horse to a slow trot, approaching carefully. One never knew what to expect where witches were involved.
She looked over her shoulder, giving the two of them a careful wave. “Was wonderin’ when the pair of you would make it out here. Soon as I heard the news about the princess, I had a hunch it’d only be a matter of time.”
Frank, whose mind was better suited to equations and numbers than faces, finally recognized the voice of the lady in front of the cottage. “You were one of the women we saved from those kidnappers. That was quite a ride from here; I’m surprised to find you so far north.”
“I was only down fetchin’ some special ingredients. Came back as soon as I finished my business. Was quite a treat though, I tell you. Not every day a lowly little lass like me gets to meet a princess in disguise.”
“You knew?” Frank asked.
“’Course I knew, she’s the damn princess of Villeneuve and she didn’t even try to change her name. Granted, it’s a common one ‘round these parts, but a little effort in the southern lands might have been useful.”
“Marie can be rather stubborn on certain points of pride; her name is merely one example.” In a smooth motion, Jack dismounted his horse and stepped over to Lily. “And while she will do anything for her kingdom, I fear certain people are turning that loyalty to their own means. As I recall, Marie told us you were an apprentice witch. If you’d be willing to take us to your teacher, I think we can make an exceedingly friendly business proposition with her and come to an arrangement.”
“I doubt it, unless you’ve got the power to raise the dead,” Lily replied. “Passed a few weeks back, poor thing. I’ve been fillin’ in for her as best I can.”
The grin on Jack’s face dimmed briefly, before brightening again. “Ah, but as a witch of these lands, surely you know others. Whichever one is the most touched by greed will be our best chance.”
His optimism was quashed as Lily shook her head. “I see a few of them at the yearly coven meetin’s, but none that are close by or easy to find. I also think I recall gettin’ a missive not long back about a few folks matchin’ your description being declared official enemies of our organization. Something about burnin’ down a pier?”
“I nearly forgot about that, why haven’t they already?” Patting his horse, Jack looked over to Frank for any ideas. It felt as though they’d come up against a firm dead end on this plan.
“If I am not being too bold as to ask, how far along in your training are you?” Frank asked. “We have a favor for which we need magic, and I’m afraid time is of the essence.”
With a soft grunt of effort, Lily rose from her garden and patted the dirt from her dress. “This favor, would it be tied to the fact that Marie isn’t with either of you? I’ll tell you now, I won’t turn my back on my kingdom for you two. If you’re tryin’ to mess with her chance for a happily ever after, I’ll do my best to curse you where you stand.”
“Quite the opposite,” Jack assured her. “We can talk more inside, but Marie, in fact all of Villeneuve, is in danger. As a witch, you might be the one person who can help us save the kingdom and its princess.”
She looked them both up and down a few times, then nodded to the door. “I make no promises, but the old witch did leave me her tomes and tools. Tell me your story, then I’ll decide if I want to help. After that, we figure out if I even can.”
It wasn’t the ironclad deal with a master witch they’d been hoping for, bu
t Frank and Jack were a team used to dealing with long shots. They’d have bartered with a dragon if it meant the chance to save Marie. Tying off their horses to a nearby post, both men followed Lily into her cottage.
* * *
Being back in the palace was surreal, to say the least. In her time on the road, Marie had allowed herself to forget what it was like to live surrounded by luxury at all hours of the day, as well as what her life was like when she was on a royal schedule. Every moment was planned, down to the barest second. There were meetings to attend, lessons to take, appearances to make, and all of that was without even counting the work for the wedding. She was brought in to consult on table arrangements, color choices, flowers, food, and so many other minor details that felt as if someone else should really be able to handle.
Even as she was being fitted for her gown, Marie couldn’t help thinking back to her time with Frank and Jack. Dangerous, violent, and terrifying as it often was, there was also a sense of freedom. No one scheduled her, she was free to come and go as she damn well pleased. There was something else different, too, something she never could have placed until experiencing both lives. The people here who asked for her opinion and orders did so mechanically, seeking her input only because she was the princess. Jack and Frank, on the other hand, had genuinely depended on her. When she spoke, they listened, not out of obligation but because they respected what she had to say. It was the difference in earning a position of leadership and being handed one, a divide she never could have even imagined existed before she left the castle.