“We’re waiting on you, Beth,” Jovan said. He stood next to her, his helmeted head held high, sword in hand.
Fear and uncertainty sloshed around in Bethany’s guts, but she pushed the emotions down. Instead, she took deep and calming breaths. She’d never done anything like this before. Using her Power was such a foreign concept. A year ago, she was convinced nothing could entice her to embrace her parentage. Now…
“Amber, Lendra,” Bethany said, her voice calm. She heard the girls rustle behind her. “If you feel that I can’t come out, please pull me back out. Wait as long as possible.”
“Why?” Lendra asked, her voice shaking. Normally, when there was an attack, she was hiding in a cart surrounded by a hundred soldiers dressed as peasants. Still, she did not complain about being so close to what could be the front. Lendra’s entire body shook, but she stood firm.
Bethany couldn’t help but smile. She put a supportive hand on her sister’s shoulder. “It could hurt you. Let me try to fight it first.”
Lendra visibly gulped and took Amber’s hand.
“Healers,” Bethany said, raising her voice to the forty Rygent men and women around her. “Eve will announce when to heal me. Do not touch me until she gives the order.” Healing her could transfer the warring Magic against Power into the healer. It had happened once, a young Rygent girl had nearly been ripped apart as blood seeped from every pore on her body.
“We’re ready, Bethany,” Eve said, her voice tight.
“Jovan?”
He nodded. “We’re ready.”
Kiner shouted, “Ready.”
Erem shouted, “Ready.”
Bethany nodded. She reached out a tentative hand and held her fingertips a breath away from the shimmering barrier. Malevolent energy hissed and she instinctively pulled back, shivering as though icy fingers had been pressed against the small of her back.
“Let’s do this,” she said, her voice quiet but firm.
“Archer, prepare!” Erem shouted and Bethany could hear the rustling of soldiers behind her, pulling arrows from quivers, and positioning themselves.
A final breath. “One. Two. Now.”
Bethany slammed both hands into the barrier. Even she was shocked by how hard she screamed.
Chapter Twenty
The Viper will come.
-Prophecy of the Diamond, First Tablet
“Majesty, it takes time to gather the souls for the final ritual,” Sarissa said in the most contrite voice she could muster. She pretended she was speaking to Jovan’s parents, or Father Torius, or Mother Aneese. Contrite and humble was the correct tone, even if cutting open the man’s entrails was what she wanted to do. “You must exercise patience.”
King Daniel snorted. “I don’t need to exercise anything, least of all patience. I certainly don’t need a whore of an elf telling me what to do.”
Sarissa remained silent long enough to control the desire to encase him in ice. “Majesty, we have only begun the invasion of the Rygent Islands. Their resistance is much stronger than anticipated—”
“That isn’t my concern,” he snapped.
“Of course not, Majesty,” Sarissa said through gritted teeth. I will not slaughter the king, I will not slaughter the king. “You should know, however, that the rumors of elven troops approaching Taftlin is encouraging resistance.” She held up her hands. “Even with the boundary up…”
Daniel scowled. “I don’t see why you can’t just bring it down so that I can return home.”
Sarissa took a steadying breath. She needed Daniel’s support. He’d given her resources to continue her work, in exchange for protection. She needed to stroke his ego. “Majesty, you are not safe in Taftlin. Your castle on King’s Mountain Isle is the most protected place for you.”
He held his head high. “Yes, yes, but I wish to be on the battlefield with my men, of course.”
Sarissa did not roll her eyes. That would get her shackled, a very inconvenient fate. “Of course, Majesty. What leader would not want to stand by his men in a time of war? However, you must be cautious. Without you, Taftlin will fall.”
Daniel huffed and walked ahead of her a few steps. He was a blurry mess of rich purple and orange. She struggled to catch up, the blindingly bright snow making her vision worse. She tripped and fell face-first into the snow.
She seethed when he laughed at her.
“You know, your sister might be a whore but she was quick on her feet.”
Sarissa clenched her fists before using them to push herself back up. She considered all of the ways she would torture him when she had no more need of him. Just a while longer and then you can kill him.
“You aren’t angry at me for laughing, now are you?” He stopped and waited for her to catch up. “Temper sure runs in your family.”
“I got snow in my boots. Now...what is that?” Waves of nausea washed over her.
Daniel turned to face her. “What is what? You seeing things?”
Sarissa could feel the barrier around Taftlin shaking, shifting, seizing. “Bitch.”
“What are you talking about? Are you crazy again? My father told me how you used to be all muffled up in the brain.”
“Shut up,” she growled. “Majesty.”
Sarissa closed her eyes and focused on Bethany’s spirit. “The bitch is taking down the barrier.”
Sarissa opened her eyes long enough to spot the closest guard standing next to Daniel. She yanked the dagger from her pocket and stabbed the man, who collapsed with her on top of him.
“Are you mad?” Daniel screamed.
Sarissa ignored him, hearing Robert and her own people pulling the king and his guards away from her. Stopping Bethany was more important than impressing this idiot royal. Muttering words of Magic, the dying guard’s life energy seeped into her soul like warm honey. She drank it up, the chill leaving her body.
“Hello, Bethany.”
****
Very few people could enter the Wind and speak to others, but the daughters of Apexia could. Sarissa hated the Wind; it stank, sullied with broken promises and never-realized dreams. It represented the choices and consequences of every decision she’d made. She would not be permitted to join the souls of the dead once her time came. Apexia would make sure of that.
No matter. She would just become a Goddess in her own right and all Magi could find a place of rest.
Bethany stood in the white, silent false room, surveying the place. When their eyes met, Bethany’s shoulders slumped. “I miss the good ol’ days, when you were exiled and everyone thought you were dead.”
“I miss those days, too. I saw less of you.” Sarissa leaned forward. “The healers couldn’t remove the scar?”
Bethany raised her hand to touch her face, but pulled it away. No quiver of a lip, no flicker of emotion. Sarissa drew fascinated comfort from seeing her sister remain strong in the face of adversity.
“Your Magi, Joseph, did it. The men find it quite appealing. They throw themselves at me now. It’s rather quite exciting.”
Sarissa walked around her sister, sizing her up. Bethany had lost weight. Her lean, healthy features were gaunt and pallid now, no doubt the result of marching to Taftlin. “Whatever possessed you to march north in the snow? I was expecting you months ago.”
Bethany grabbed her sister’s arm. “Our father is dead.”
Sarissa froze and gulped back the tears that welled in her eyes. “You told me you didn’t know who it was.”
“Aneese told me,” Bethany said, her voice softer, “just before we burned him.”
“Well, who was it? My money is on Allric or Torius,” Sarissa said impatiently.
Bethany narrowed her eyes. “Torius.”
Sarissa cringed. She’d always liked Torius. He was good to her, even when she’d been convicted of Magic. “He died in the battle, then?”
Bethany whirled on Sarissa, grabbing her dress with both fists. “Listen to me, Sarissa, if I knew how to kill you here, now, I would. Pull
down this boundary and surrender yourself. This is madness. You’ve killed your father. You’ve killed your sister. Don’t let it kill you.”
Sarissa blinked. “My sister?”
Bethany let go. “That’s right. Drea. Your stupid Magi killed her.”
Oh, that was going to be a sting that would hurt for a long time. “Drea means nothing to me. If you wish to be angry at someone, blame Apexia.”
“Come on, Sissy,” Bethany cringed at slipping into the childhood name. “Sarissa, this has to stop. I will do everything I can to help. Please. I’m begging you.”
Sarissa stared at her twin sister, her second self. She’d known Bethany since before they took their first breath of fresh air. Rarely did her sister beg and a tinge of guilt pricked Sarissa.
“I know you took up Magic because of the prophecies. They’re over. They have been exposed. I’ve been exposed. You took up Magic to protect me. It is not protecting me anymore. It is hurting those we love.”
“I do not love anyone,” Sarissa said, her voice low. She could not look her sister in the eye and she hated herself for it.
“Liar.”
Sarissa licked her lips. She crossed her arms so that Bethany couldn’t see them shake. “You cannot guilt me.”
“I have an army in Cul, standing ready to plunge through when I take this down. There are forty healers ready to keep my body alive, and Lendra is standing next to me, ready to pull me out if you try something.”
“Lendra?” Sarissa whispered. “You brought her here?”
“Yes. Even she’s come to stop you. Step back. Let us stop Daniel.”
“When you’re done with Daniel, you’ll come after me.”
“Yes.” Bethany was silent for a moment, before continuing. “If you do not surrender, I will kill Daniel, every Magi, and you. In that order.”
Chills spread through Sarissa. “I believe you.”
“I tried to kill you before. I will succeed this time.”
Sarissa lowered her eyes. “I don’t want to fight you, Bethany.”
“Then give up Magic.”
Sarissa swallowed. “I can’t.” Then, she straightened. “But, I can give you this gift.”
Sarissa closed her eyes and, through Bethany, could see the boundary. She whispered for its release, letting the Magics holding it together separate, disband, and dissipate. Bethany stumbled backwards and fell.
“There are six pockets of soldiers beyond the boundary. Kill them all and you will face little resistant until you arrive at the northern boot.”
Bethany stared at her. “Why?”
“I have no intention of fighting you. I’ll move the boundary to where I am. You want Taftlin? It’s yours, under one condition.”
Bethany’s forehead creased. “Which is?”
Sarissa smiled. “Give Daniel a gruesome death.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The Diamond’s weakness is her strength.
-Prophecy of the Diamond, First Tablet
Bethany opened her eyes and regretted it instantly. Above her, the bright blue sky was askew and vibrating. Then, a pair of long, muscular legs stepped over her. It took a moment before she recognized Kiner, though how she knew that by staring at his groin she didn’t know. Nor, did she want to know.
“Bethany, get up,” Lendra urged, her voice a tense whisper. “Hurry!”
Her legs disobeyed the order to move.
An explosion of swearing and shouting erupted around her. Lendra hissed, and grabbed Bethany’s arms. “Get up!”
“Surrender now!” Jovan’s voice boomed over the cacophony. “Surrender and you won’t be killed.”
Bethany grabbed both Lendra’s shoulder and used Kiner’s leg to pull herself up. Kiner did not flinch, nor move. He was there to protect her. A pang of guilt hit her; she’d been awfully hard on him since they’d discovered he’d been smuggling Magical texts back and forth to Eve for her to translate. She’d felt he’d betrayed her. But, in truth, he never had. She’d just been jealous he’d kept a secret from her, even though she’d been keeping her own.
Arrago.
“Apexia’s ass,” Bethany spat and pulled herself upright. She wobbled, but stayed vertical.
“Lendra, get out of here,” Kiner snarled.
“Who in Apexia’s name are you?” A high-pitched lad sneered back.
Bethany ran a hand across her mouth and came back with blood. She cursed in elvish and unsheathed her Blessed Blades, the action costing her balance. She stumbled and Kiner caught her with one hand, hoisting her up until she regained her footing.
“Stay still,” Kiner chided.
“I am Lord Jovan of the Elven Service. Surrender or we will kill every one of you.”
A loud roar of angry jeers came from further ahead. Bethany blinked her eyes several times, but she couldn’t focus. Her head pounded. Her sinuses ached. Her eyes leaked. She wasn’t crying; she just couldn’t control the tears from streaming down her cheeks. Blood mingled and seeped between her lips, the sickly-sweet metallic mingled with the fresh salt of tears.
She saw Jovan’s arm rise and heard Eve’s clear, high voice shout, “Archers!”
A whoosh of motion followed and Bethany did not need her eyesight to recognize the action: hundreds of bows were just raised into position, ready to unleash hundreds of arrows into the sky.
“Wait!” The young man shouted out. “Wait!”
“Kiner, help me,” Bethany said, her voice shaking.
Kiner turned to stare at her. “Help you with what?”
She didn’t answer. She sheathed one of her swords and gripped Kiner’s forearm, holding on to the mail and padding. She yanked him forward and he stumbled and they nearly both face planted into the muddy snow.
Kiner led her to the front, which Bethany realized was only a few steps away. Her vision had slowly cleared, though the world spun and danced around her.
She let go of Kiner before setting next to Jovan. “Put your weapons down now.”
The boy—for indeed he was a boy—stared at her, his eyes wide. “Who are you?”
She must have been a sight, covered in blood and shaking. Then again, perhaps the sight of her might instill fear into his heart. “I am Lady Champion Bethany, commander of the Elven Service, eldest daughter of Apexia, and the elf who just took down the Magic barrier around your quaint little country.” Bethany gulped down a pant. “Put your weapons down now.”
Swords, axes, bows, and large sticks thumped to the ground in unison, except for the lead boy—Apexia’s mercy; she could not call him a commander. Snow puffed up around the hundred or so children.
“On the ground, all of you. Surrender and you will not be harmed.”
“Not bloody likely,” the kid said, just as his entire company collapsed to the snow.
He turned around, his shoulders slumping. “Get up, you coward sons of bitches!”
“She’s a Goddess, sir,” one shouted out, “I ain’t pissin’ off no Goddess.”
The boy turned back and, with a sigh, said, “We surrender.”
****
It was bad enough that Sarissa had taken down the boundary with no argument. In fact, Bethany would venture to say that her sister gleefully took it down. More confusing still was the complete lack of soldiers once the Magic wall fell. Jovan had sent out eight different scouting patrols to ensure that they were alone. By mid-day, they all reported back; the way was clear.
“What’s your plan?” Jovan asked.
Bethany lay on several blankets inside a make-shift lean-to, a fire roaring nearby. The world had finally stopped spinning and her hands no longer shook. She shrugged at him. “I’m out of my element. They surrendered.”
He snorted and said, “True, but this entire idiotic idea was all yours. I’m just here to keep you and Kiner out of trouble. Well, Kiner at least.”
From somewhere beyond Bethany’s peripheral vision, Kiner shouted, “If you insist upon talking about me behind my back, please ensure my back is
in fact turned away.”
The Tranquility Trio laughed, tearing at Bethany’s heart. Things had not been the same between them since Arrago. Decades of friendship lost over her indiscretion. She wondered if the guilt would ever leave her.
She shook off the distraction. Nearby was the village of Celtman, their target winter base. Just beyond the snowy, miserable fields was enough barley to feed their army. Strategically, it was the first town that any reinforcements approaching along the western mountains would reach. Also, it was close enough to the shoreline to clear a safe path for Allric’s eventual arrival.
Bethany sat up, slowly, allowing the blood to not all rush from her brain at once. Assuming, of course, she had a brain. “Kiner, come here.” She waited for Kiner to poke his head inside the lean-to. “What do you think?”
He shrugged. “They obviously know there is an army less than a mile away from them. The kids said they were the only reinforcements this far south, as most of their experienced troops are west, getting ready to invade the islands.”
Bethany chewed on her lip. “Well, let’s move some of the army ahead, keep the bulk of it back. With a show of strength, they’ll probably surrender on the spot.”
Kiner cleared his throat. “And if they don’t?”
Bethany shot him a glance and he nodded knowingly.
Jovan groaned. “I hope they don’t resist. I’m tired and my ass hurts.”
“Yes, Jovan. We wouldn’t want to butcher a bunch of villagers with your buttocks all sore and blistered,” Kiner snapped.
“At least I’m not grousing about killing people in the middle of a war,” he shot back.
Bethany mumbled, “It is a sad day when I’m the voice of reason. Erem!” The lanky elf appeared in front of her from almost nowhere. “Have two sections advance with me and circle the town. Have the reminder stay back in case this is a trap.”
Bethany pulled herself out of the heat and mounted her horse. She kicked it and started forward, leaving Jovan and Kiner to scramble to catch up.
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