by Ben Hale
She released her strength spell and recast her speed, ducking a trio of strikes and whirling to the couch. Rolling her momentum into a flip, she leapt over and alighted on the other side. The soldiers stepped on the couch and came for her, but she sliced the legs off the couch, and all three went down. She drove her sword into one and then aimed her crossbow at the second, sending a bolt into his chest. They cried out and collapsed and she kicked the third in the face, breaking his nose and sending him backward.
She dropped speed and cast agility, leaping to the table and darting across its surface. A sword swung at her legs and shattered the vase, sending bits of porcelain toward her feet. She leapt high and threaded the gap between a bracketed light orb and the wall, coming down behind a group of mercenaries.
Releasing agility, she cast speed and whipped her sword among them. They were Talinorian soldiers, trained by elite weapons masters, but they were no match for Beauty’s sheer speed. Swords tumbled to the floor and the men cried out in dismay and pain. A mercenary clutched his wounded arm and shouted for aid, his cry ending abruptly as Beauty’s boot smashed into his teeth. Then Beauty spotted Ero.
The ancient twirled his staff, striking the mercenaries as fast as they appeared. Light exploded from each contact, launching men into walls, chairs, and into each other. The smile on his face was almost eager as he twisted to strike at a man attempting to flank him, sending him crashing into a light orb. Glass shattered, raining down on the soldier’s back as he slumped to the floor. Gallow rose and stabbed a finger at Beauty.
“Kill her!” he barked.
He drew the idalia from his back and threw it. In the packed confines of the room the triangular blade was as dangerous to the mercenaries as it was to Ero and Beauty. The lieutenant shouted in anger as the blade spun past his skull, narrowly missing his scalp. Then it sliced across the duke’s guard, cutting his throat before returning to the assassin’s hand. He sheathed it and darted to Ero.
The assassin evaded the staff with expert precision, striking at Ero’s back. In the midst of a furious battle Beauty leapt high, caught the bracket of a light orb, and fired her crossbow at Gallow. The bolt exploded into ropes but the assassin leapt back, sweeping his sword to shred the ropes. Then he struck again, nicking Ero’s shoulder and drawing blood.
“He’s mortal!” Alidon shouted from the hallway. “The truth has been revealed!”
With surprising agility Ero leapt a chair and flipped over a swinging sword, coming down at the doorway. The high abbot squeaked in surprise and attempted to flee but Ero caught his robe and spun, throwing him into the room.
“You really are a fool,” Ero said, using his staff to strike at the mercenaries fighting Beauty.
One went down and Beauty leveraged the gap to strike at another. Then she reached out and caught a man’s tunic, dropping speed to cast strength. With a surge of power she heaved him bodily across the room. Gallow ducked as the man crashed into a table. Beauty spun and released the strength, using speed again to weave between the remaining blades, her sword and crossbow working in tandem to cut them down.
She lunged for the final soldiers but six remained on their feet, and they converged upon her as Gallow flanked Ero. Swords darted in, cutting Beauty’s tunic, drawing blood. She winced, the blood staining her clothing and trickling down her arm.
Evidently learning from their predecessors, they worked as a unit, flanking and striking at her, herding her to the wall. Six swords attacked as if wielded by a single mind, and even with her speed spell she could not keep up.
She growled and snatched a banner from the wall, tossing it over the men on her left. A soldier cut it apart, but the momentary pause allowed her to aim her crossbow and fire at their feet, freezing one to the floor. Before she could finish him the lieutenant on her right lunged for her, forcing her to turn and parry their attacks.
Abruptly fury engulfed her, and she fed it into a strength spell. Reaching up, she grasped a bracketed light orb and yanked it from the wall, hurling the heavy steel at the mercenaries. It crashed into one man and knocked him down, pinning him to the floor. His companion sought to lift it but the effort failed, and he rose to find a crossbow bolt sinking into his gut. He cried out and went down on top of the bracket, crushing the man beneath even more.
Beauty whirled to face the remainder but the lieutenant swung his sword into her crossbow, catching the curve of the weapon and yanking it from her hands. Beauty stepped on a discarded sword and it flipped upward. She caught the hilt and swung both blades, striking at the last three mercenaries.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ero surprisingly holding his own against Gallow, his enchanted staff keeping the skilled swordsman at bay. In the distance the pounding of boots echoed, indicating soldiers were rushing to investigate.
“You’re out of time,” Ero said.
Ero spun and threw a knife, sinking the blade into the high abbot’s leg as he sought to flee. The man tumbled to the ground with a shriek of pain, grasping the wound. Gallow scowled and pressed harder, but Ero managed to deflect the strike and land one of his own, knocking the assassin into a table with a blast of light.
“You’re just a man,” Gallow snarled, rising to his feet.
“And you’re a devil’s lapdog,” Ero said.
He swung his staff in a full circle, the weapon hurtling at Gallow. The assassin raised his sword to block it—but Ero extinguished the staff. Gallow’s sword passed through the staff, causing the assassin to stumble. Ero reversed the motion of the staff and cast it again, striking Gallow on the back of the skull. The blast of light sent him tumbling forward, smashing through a table against the wall.
Beauty engaged the last two mercenaries, using her speed to overwhelm their defenses and disarm them. As they scrambled for a weapon she stalked forward, releasing her speed charm and activating strength. They caught up weapons but she picked up the broken couch and shattered it upon them, and then drove her sword through the lieutenant’s body. He stared at her, his eyes wide with shock as he died.
“You’re just thieves . . .”
“I wasn’t always a thief,” she said coldly.
She joined Ero at the door and turned to face Gallow, who stood beside the whimpering high abbot. The assassin warily twisted between them, pointing his sword at Beauty and then Ero.
“Next time you won’t see me coming,” Gallow said.
“Perhaps,” Ero said. “But you will fail again because you underestimate your adversary.”
Gallow sneered at them but did not lower his blade. “Skorn will come for you all. He cannot be defeated.”
Ero smiled. “How many times has he tried to kill Jack Myst?”
Gallow’s features rippled with fury but he didn’t answer. Boots thudded in the hall, the sound mounting with distant shouts. Beauty stepped to the bedchamber door and swung it open, allowing the duke to exit. She stabbed a finger toward the hall and the man nodded, threading his way to it, tripping over wood, glass, and bodies.
“Well done,” the duke said to Beauty, glancing at Gallow. “If you want a career change, I have an opening in my guard.”
Beauty didn’t answer, and kept her gaze on Gallow as the castle guard flooded the hall. The duke raised his voice and his barked orders brought the soldiers into the room, where they moved to flank the assassin. Gallow’s eyes darted left and right, and the soldiers came to a halt when he spoke.
“Before I depart,” Gallow said, “I have a message from Skorn.”
He leapt forward and plunged his sword into Carvia where she huddled behind a couch. She cried out as the weapon pierced her chest and she fell to the floor, grasping the mortal wound in a vain effort to stop the blood.
Gallow leapt to the ring of guards, smashing through them to reach the bedchamber beyond. With a speed charm active Beauty was just a step behind, but Gallow crossed the room and dove out the window. Beauty reached the opening and growled, coming to a halt. Fighting Gallow in a trapped room was one thin
g, but in the open? Reluctantly she returned to find Ero and Duke Gorwall kneeling at Carvia’s side.
“Healers have been summoned,” the duke said.
Beauty saw the extent of her wound and shook her head. “It won’t matter.”
Carvia gasped in pain, her eyes falling upon Ero and lighting with rage. “Will you kill him?”
Ero grasped her hand. “I swear it,” he murmured.
“The Necrolith lies northwest of Azertorn,” she said, her voice growing faint. “And he has another ally.”
“Who?” Ero asked.
To Beauty’s surprise Carvia looked to her. “Your father.”
Chapter 25: The Guildmaster’s Mantle
Jack rode into Herosian and wearily dismounted in front of the stables. It had taken them four days of dodging pursuers before an opportune rainstorm had washed out their tracks. But it had left them all sodden and sullen.
The stable boy appeared and reached for his reins, and then noticed Sirani. “What can I . . . whoa.”
Sirani grinned down at him. “Hello, child.”
Jack ignored the interchange and made his way to the nearest inn. “Two days,” he said. “No more. And don’t disturb me unless an assassin shows up.”
Inna made to ask a question but Jack turned away. Striding up the steps, he paid for a room and made his way to the bed, collapsing into welcome slumber. He spent the next two days in his room, rising only to use the pocket Gate to escape and return several times. When he finally emerged he descended to the tavern, where Ursana was eating with Inna.
“Good morning,” Inna said. “I was beginning to think you’d escaped again.”
Jack rubbed his shoulder and sat down. “It’s been a long few weeks. We needed to rest.”
“You like to sleep as much as Gordon,” Ursana said with a laugh. Then her smile faded and she looked away.
“What happened to your arm?” Inna asked.
“Tweaked it fighting the guards in Wedge,” he said. “What did you learn?”
“Ero arrived in the city last night,” Ursana said. “He came to speak to Carvia.”
“And?” Jack asked with a yawn.
“Gallow attacked him with a score of Talinorian mercenaries.”
Jack straightened. “And Ero?”
“Alive,” a voice said.
Jack turned to find Beauty sliding into a seat at the table. He smiled at her and received one in turn. Then he noticed the litany of bandages on her body and his smile faded.
“Gallow?”
She shrugged, but the motion elicited a wince. “Who else? We managed to stop him, but the incident has gone public.”
“We?” Inna asked, catching the shift.
“Ero fought well,” Beauty said. “Gallow expected an easy kill but Ero had a hidden staff.”
“I didn’t realize he was a fighter,” Jack said.
“He held his own against Gallow,” Beauty said. “And few can claim that.”
“I wonder what else Ero can do,” Ursana mused.
“Gallow will strike from the shadows next time,” Jack said. “Where is he?”
“Gone,” Beauty said. “My face and those of our caravan are known, so we are departing Herosian today. The crowds will follow us while he travels to Azertorn on a separate route.”
“You left him alone?” Jack asked, an edge creeping into his voice.
Beauty laughed. “It wasn’t my choice. He’s as stubborn as you are. Besides, I think he felt bad that I was injured. Trust me, he can take care of himself.”
“I still don’t like it,” Jack said, folding his arms. “He doesn’t know the region, and could easily get noticed and killed.” He lowered his tone. “I’m not the only one Skorn is hunting now.”
“Relax,” Beauty said. “I sent Thalidon and Roarthin to follow him. Ero may be cagey, but there’s no way he can escape them. Besides, Skorn will not expect us to let him go alone, so he’s as safe as he can be.”
Jack stared at her and then chuckled in admiration. “When will I learn not to doubt you?”
She sniffed. “I’d think you’d have learned that lesson by now.”
He grinned and asked, “Where’s Sirani?”
“Out,” Inna said. “She said she needed new attire for our adventure.”
“Who’s Sirani?” Beauty asked.
As Ursana filled Beauty in on their past few weeks, Jack signaled the barmaid for a meal. When it came he dug in with enthusiasm, and finished by the time Beauty had completed her own tale, and revealed the news about her father. As he relished the last morsel, he sank back into his seat.
“What will Oragon do?” he asked.
Beauty’s features tightened. “Abandoning a barbarian tribe is a death sentence. He is blood-bound to carry out the execution.”
“But he’s your father,” Inna protested.
“I was raised to kill the enemies of my tribe,” Beauty said. “When I left, I became one. If Skorn has told him that I’m alive, he will hunt me down and tear me apart.”
“Can you defeat him?” Ursana asked.
Beauty’s expression became doubtful. “We share the same magic, but he has two decades of experience and skill on his side.”
“We met Golic when we escaped Wedge,” Ursana said.
Beauty turned to him, her eyes filled with surprise. “I didn’t realize he was in Wedge.”
“He was,” Ursana said, her expression lighting with a smile. “But he’s very attractive.”
Beauty laughed. “Don’t get too smitten,” she said. “My brother has one he’s favored for a long time.”
Ursana sighed. “A girl can dream. But there was another that caught my eye.” She flushed and looked away.
Beauty’s eyes flicked to Jack, and he saw the question reflected in them. He gave a tiny shake of his head, his gaze drifting to Inna and Ursana. She caught the hint and nodded, recognizing that Jack knew more, but didn’t want to share in front of the others.
Jack watched Beauty as she talked to Ursana. Beauty feigned a casual air but Jack recognized worry in the lines about her mouth. After what Jack had learned, Beauty’s fears were valid. Still, Jack hated having to share what Golic had requested.
Inwardly he forced his thoughts away from Beauty. Everything he’d prepared was finally coming to fruition and he could not afford to get distracted—even if he wanted to. Jack considered his options, weighing what he knew against what he could guess. Then he gestured to Ursana.
“You should join her in protecting Ero.”
Ursana frowned. “You’re going to an island no one returns from, and want to leave me out?”
“When you put it that way,” he said, “yes.”
She laughed at his honesty and Beauty leaned in. “She can stay with you. I’ll have Thalidon and Roarthin with me.”
Jack didn’t want to say the truth, that he was concerned about Ursana without Gordon. The girl had spent her entire time as a thief in a partnership, and taking her to an island known to be lethal would not be wise if she was not in top form.
“I’ll have Inna and Sirani,” Jack said easily. “Besides. We can’t lose Ero.”
“We can’t lose you,” Beauty pointed out.
Jack burst into a wry laugh that drew the gaze of other patrons in the tavern. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “Inna has proven she can handle herself on a boat.”
Inna snorted and looked up. “I got knocked unconscious and Jack saved my life. I don’t call that handling anything. I still want to know what happened . . .” She looked to Jack and folded her arms.
“Before that you were fine,” Jack said dismissively.
“Don’t patronize me,” Inna said.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Jack replied with a smile.
Inna grunted and returned her attention to repairing the cut in her jerkin. Just then Sirani ducked through the door and entered. Her sudden appearance caused two women to shriek and scramble away in fear. Apparently not noticing their terror, Sirani sq
ueezed through the chairs and sat on the floor, sending a shudder through the wood.
“The ghosts are coming and they want their dinner,” she sang.
“Am I the dinner?” Jack asked.
“The most savory kind,” Sirani crowed.
Beauty threw Jack a look as they all rose to their feet. “Did I miss something?”
Sirani giggled. “He’s a good kisser.”
Beauty laughed. “She kissed you?”
“And it was good,” Sirani crowed.
“You don’t need to laugh so hard,” Jack said, but Beauty’s humor spread to Ursana.
They made their way to the street and Jack pointed east. “Split up. Ursana can take the eastern gate and Beauty will meet you outside. Sirani, Inna, I’ll meet you outside the northern gate. Make certain no one follows you.”
Wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, Ursana nodded and left. Inna and Sirani slipped away as well. But Jack caught Beauty’s arm.
“Will you walk with me for a moment?”
Her levity faded and she nodded, and Jack led them through an alley to an adjoining side street. Neither of them spoke as they walked through a market. Merchants called out their wares, attempting to lure buyers from the crowd. Jack paid them no mind as he passed through the street.
“Which horse do you have with you?” Jack asked.
“Axe,” she replied.
“He’s a good one,” Jack said.
“You say that because he likes you.”
He smiled. “True.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”
“I wish you were going with me,” Jack finally said.
“It was your order to give,” Beauty said with a small laugh.
He blew out his breath in disgust. “Yet another aspect to my wonderful occupation.”