She hugged her father. “If we don’t, burn it to ashes and head to the Empire. Aviur and Anali are waiting there. Neither of us will die so easily. We’ve been through a few fires.”
The faint smile she offered Jin had him returning the expression. He felt more secure with Azara watching his back. “There’s a chance we could find information on more fire mages, those who were here before or those they’re looking to buy or kidnap Nalbinian officials keep very good records.”
That got him a little head bow from Shula and a clap on his shoulder from Rohan. “Then go with all speed. When you return, we’ll have this place cleaned up.”
Azara and Jin both nodded, before she took the lead, striding towards the fort and the door that was shut firmly. Jin didn’t think it would last long. If they were very lucky, they might sneak through without meeting any remaining guards. They’d be planning their escape or defense, not worried about their records. Of course, luck wasn’t something to count on. Not with the lives of the fire mages weighing on both their shoulders.
* * *
After Jin pointed out that there might be a smaller, less guarded door, they had found exactly that near the fort’s stables. There were only a few horses, but they’d let the others know once they were finished. Another heavy wood door, it was a matter of moments for Azara to unlock it, then they burst through.
The surprise of the two men inside had made it easier for her to cut them down. They’d barely had a chance to raise their bayonets before she sliced through their throats in mirror-image movements of her arms. The thud their bodies made as they hit the floor hadn’t attracted anyone, so they’d walked farther into the narrow hallway of the fort.
Things were sparsely lit, with large swatches of the stone interior left in darkness. And while Azara wanted to bring up fire, it would destroy their own night vision and alert anyone to their movements. It was better to continue in the semi-darkness, where she trusted her ears as much as her eyes. Jin let her take the lead as he directed their path. She had no idea where things would be, but in the case of them running into guards, it would be safer for her to be in front.
It was quiet, only the distant sounds of what was happening outside penetrating the thick stone. They moved deeper into the fort, Jin opening doors to peer in, but always shaking his head. Crossing into one hallway fork, Azara could hear faint voices coming from the far end. The look Jin gave her told Azara he heard it too. Neither said anything as they chose the direction that led away.
Finally, after two more turns and a dozen more doors, they found what they were looking for at the end of a hallway in what felt like the centre of the fort. Jin smiled briefly at the sight of the large wooden filing cabinets that lined one wall of the room, bookshelves covering another, and desks complete with half-finished papers lining the third. Azara immediately lit her hand. Jin dove into what was out before busying himself with the cabinets.
Azara drifted over, glancing at the papers, and skimmed them. She quickly stopped. Reports on food expenditures and another on the state of the armoury were enough to put her to sleep. From the way Jin was rapidly flipping through papers, yanking some out to look over, he felt very differently. She hoped he found something useful. She’d hate to come out empty handed, after what she’d said to her father.
That thought warmed her. Her father. Alive. She pushed away thoughts of her mother for now, focusing on the good. Aviur and Anali would be happy, and the four of them could be a family again. Depending on what they found, the emperor might be pleased enough to grant her siblings freedom based on her work alone. If not, she could raise money within a few months. Bandit hunting had always been a good way of boosting her income in the past.
The rustling of paper got faster, drawing Azara’s attention. Jin was clutching a pile of papers, rapidly pulling more out of one drawer, his face pale. He glanced at her and swallowed. “This, this is all worse than I had thought. Far worse. This...this can’t be allowed to exist!”
She frowned and stepped towards him. “What do you mean?”
“These records, they contain more than merely...tracking who created which child. They also tracked the strength of the individual mages, the apparent strength of the child, and the ages of all. They...” He swallowed again, hands clenched into trembling fists. “They also performed experiments on those they deemed not suitable for breeding. To test the limits of their powers, what they could do, and what they could withstand. It’s horrific.”
Azara took another step towards the papers before she stopped herself. If she saw her mother’s name in them, she’d never be able to hold herself together. She’d send herself into an unthinking rage or crushing depression, and was liable to get them both killed. No. She would leave Jin to handle it and decide if she wanted the information from him later. “What should we do?”
“Destroy it. All of this. The military information I’ll bring with us, but the rest... It can’t be allowed to exist.”
She nodded. “We can have this place burned out once we’re finished.”
“That’s not enough. We need to ensure no one ever sees this and that not a scrap survives. This whole room has been spelled to prevent fire. I... There’s a spell I know, one that could bring this building down to its foundations. That might disrupt the fire-prevention spell enough to allow this place to be burned. But the spell requires a long time to cast—”
She cut him off with a faint smile. “I’ll guard your back while you do your magic. It’s why I came along.”
He relaxed enough to give her half a smile in return. “Thank you. I need to ensure I have everything that would be useful to the Empire first, then I’ll begin. I’m not certain I deserve a partner as skilled as you.”
Azara’s expression turned sly. “That’s okay. I’m not certain you deserve me either.”
That started a brief chuckle out of him before he turned to his work. Azara grinned for a moment as well. Breaking the tension made it easier for her to breathe, easier for her to focus on what was in front of them. As the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears, she thought she would need every bit of her focus sharp. She stepped into the doorway, her arms hanging loosely by her sides, the remains of her sleeves hanging in tatters around her wrists. Anyone who wanted Jin was going to have to go through her first.
* * *
Jin didn’t realize the reason for Azara’s tension until the sound of boots against stone broke through his concentration. He jerked his head up, hand crushing the corner of the paper he’d been reading, as he turned towards the doorway. Looking like an immovable statue, Azara stared out. Every bit of her spoke of confidence and deadly grace that she would unleash on those who approached them.
Grabbing the stack of paper that he’d separated as being military related, Jin opened his shirt collar enough that he could start jamming them down, trusting to the shirt, vest and singed coat to keep them in. A shout from in front had him flinch, but the sounds was accompanied by receding footsteps. He glanced at Azara.
She caught his gaze and nodded grimly. “They’ve gone for help. I couldn’t have gotten both of them fast enough, so you’d best finish what you’re doing and get started on your spell, or we’ll have the whole fort on us shortly.”
He could feel the blood drain from his face, but Jin turned back to the papers. As much as he’d have liked to start the spell immediately, he knew every bit of military information he could bring could make the difference in what felt like an unavoidable war. He skimmed through papers, being less careful in what he chose as pertinent, and soon his shirt was beginning to puff out from him. He ignored it.
When the heavy footfalls of approaching guards told him his time was up, Jin knelt to place both hands on the ground. He glanced up only once, noting the set of Azara’s shoulders, and the sheen of the crystal pooling in her palms. It would require an army to take her down. Not t
hat he’d let that happen.
Concentrating on the spell, Jin whispered his chants, moving both hands independently to speed up the cast time. Sweat beaded on his brow. He’d only done this much consecutive spellcasting once, and that had earned him his position.
He didn’t have the luxury of rest. Invisible to those without the sight, Jin drew patterns of magic on the stone floor, the sinuous lines and twists almost hypnotic as they joined together. He knew the danger of getting lost in the pattern and focused his mind on the effects.
The tramp of boots stopped but Jin didn’t dare look up. The crack and tinking sound told him that guards were trying their aim and learning they were useless against Azara.
He heard shuffling before running footsteps replaced it. Jin continued, his lips moving as he recited the spell, his hands still drawing, but part of his mind was focused on Azara’s battle. He gleaned from the rustle of clothing and an echoing, gurgling sound, that she’d cut through their throats. The sudden red scent of blood and the soft thuds of collapsing bodies told him he wasn’t wrong. Or at least, not wrong about her dispatching the first wave.
A barked order for a charge had Jin freezing for a moment, before he continued, not daring to stop for fear of backlash. Finish this, and they would both be safe.
There was the high-pitched clang as metal met crystal before stumbling footsteps told Jin several someones had been pushed back. Azara’s soft voice broke through the grunts, hard breathing and rustle of movement. “Red bloom.”
Jin moved his hands faster as he fought against the urge to look. The sudden cacophony of screams and sound of splattering blood made him wonder if he actually did want to see. But then, he was finishing up the last few whirls of the designs, the final word on his lips. With the spell set, he looked up.
Azara stood where she’d been before, but long tendrils of crystal flowed out from in front of her, each covered in curving thorns, all of them bright red. She was surrounded by a garden of impaled men, most limp, some struggling feebly as the blood ran out of their various wounds. Even as he watched, the crystal moved, releasing some and drawing those alive further in, until they too went still.
Jin swallowed but stood. He didn’t dare touch Azara now, for fear the crystal would consider him an enemy. He cleared his throat so she would look at him. “We should get going. I put a delay on the spell for a few minutes, but after that, this whole building will collapse.”
She nodded, the crystal drawing back, bodies dropping like overripe fruit. Jin stared at the pile of dead in front of the door, feeling his stomach give a little buck of protest. He reminded himself of what he’d read, and the faint feeling of guilt fell away. Before he could say anything, Azara had the crystal out in two small walls, pushing the bodies to either side so they could walk safely.
Stepping carefully to avoid the worst of the pools of blood, Jin jerked his chin at the hallway they’d come from. “We need to move quickly.”
Azara’s eyes were hard, her face blank. “Let’s run. Don’t fall behind.”
Jin didn’t have the chance to protest that he wouldn’t before she took off. As he sprinted to catch up, he realized it was a very real possibility. And the last thing they wanted was to be trapped inside when his spell went into effect.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Supplies
Azara stood beside Jin, watching the whole fort shake, the stones twisting and shattering. They’d gotten out in plenty of time, and the fire mages had heeded Jin’s warnings and moved well away. They stood in a semicircle watching the fort break apart. Only Jin seemed bothered by the screams coming from inside, but he stood resolute despite the paleness of his face.
Her father came to stand beside her, his form more like a shadow against the brightly burning camp. “He’s a powerful mage.” His voice was quiet enough that only Azara heard him over the sound of falling rocks.
She nodded with a glance at Jin. She hadn’t believed it when they’d first met, but back then, if she’d seen something like this, Azara would have given Jin respect. Now she had much more respect, not only for his power, but his abilities and him as a person. She genuinely liked him and hoped she could convince him to stay with her. But that was a future to worry about once they had everyone safe.
Clearing his throat, her father drew both their gazes. “We’ve got the carts secured, and I have people hitching them up. It took some doing, I had to stop more than a few people from burning things just for the sake of burning them, but we should be ready to leave shortly.”
“Good. They shouldn’t waste their strength, with what we have ahead of us. The manor doesn’t look as defensible, but we’ll need to take it. And try and keep anyone from going for help. They may already be aware if someone from here got out.” Azara’s eyes kept drifting to Jin’s handiwork, the last of the stones falling away so there was not much left but a mass of rubble.
Jin coughed awkwardly. “Will you remind your people that not everyone in the manor will be complicit? I imagine there are more than a few servants who will have been unaware of what has happened and don’t deserve to die because of where they are employed.”
Rohan eyed him. “You’re correct. It should be simple enough to bind or lock them somewhere they can eventually leave from. That should delay pursuit for us, but anyone who attacks us...”
“That I can’t argue with. I hope taking the manor will be far easier, given that most here are tired.”
“They will be good for a while longer. The intoxication of freedom and being able to mete out punishment will keep them going.”
Azara sighed. “It’ll run out. We need to put as much distance as we can between us before we camp. If possible, I would like to sleep in shifts within the carts, if we are able to get enough to transport all of us. We’ll need to rest the horses, but we should always have someone who is fresh in case of pursuit.”
“That’s a good idea.” Her father smiled at her, patting her head the way he’d done when she was a child. Azara blinked back sudden tears at those memories.
Jin gestured towards the remains of the fort. “The fire-prevention magic has broken. Your people can burn it now. Please make sure you spread fire thoroughly through it. None of the papers remaining should survive, for all of our sakes.”
Rohan gave him a small smile. “I appreciate your care of us. You’re a good man, and I’m happy to put my trust in you. If your emperor is even half of what you say he is, I think we’ll be well taken care of.” He walked off, towards the nearest cluster of the fire mages, shoulders back, his chin up. He looked like the father Azara remembered, confident and strong.
A gentle touch at her arm had her turning towards Jin. “You and your father are going to need to lead the fire mages.” He kept his voice low, his eyes steady on hers. “And you’ll need to be able to reel them in. I’m afraid some are on the verge of hysteria or madness, with all that’s happened. They may overreact, and we can’t afford to lose any strength wantonly. Pursuit is inevitable, and we’ll be moving more slowly with the wagons and children.”
Unsaid was that the fire mages wouldn’t listen to Jin. He was an outsider, a man none of them knew, and most didn’t care to. They would treat him as an ally, but no more than that. Azara herself was only marginally more accepted. Her father was the true leader of the fire mages, the way they flocked to him evidence enough of that. “We’ll do what we can. But you understand—”
He nodded. “Better than most, and what happened to me was only the tiniest fraction of the pain and horror that everyone here has experienced. That is exactly why we must do everything to ensure they survive. Everyone here deserves as much happiness as they can have, and at the least, the chance to live free.”
That made Azara smile faintly. Jin was sweet like that sometimes, more than he realized. A flare of light was the fire mages beginning work on the fort, flames enveloping the stones
, catching in a few places before a second wave began. “We should get the others organized. Once they’re finished, we’ll set out.”
She headed towards where the fire mages with experience with carts and horses were preparing. Azara didn’t need to look behind her to know that Jin was following her. He had her back, as she had his.
* * *
Jin held his breath. Standing near the rear of the second wave of fire mages, he clenched a hand as he watched Azara pace towards the manor. Behind her was the first wave of fire mages, their eyes all locked onto the closed and barred front door and the shuttered windows. It hadn’t been like that last night. They were expected.
They’d been reluctant to attempt it, but Rohan and Azara had convinced the others to try to get them to surrender first. It would save time, energy and potential injuries. Which was why Azara now stopped a few dozen paces from the front door, her back straight. The spell Jin had cast on her would keep until he cancelled it.
“To those within the manor,” her voice rang out, amplified by magic. “We are the fire mages who had previously been imprisoned and abused. We are free now, but we have no quarrel with most of you. We only wish to collect supplies and to take Baron Andor with us as a hostage. If you surrender, we will leave the rest of you unharmed. If you wish to surrender, you only need show us a white flag, and we will—”
The high-pitched crack happened at almost the same time that Azara stumbled. Jin imagined that the bullet that had slammed into her had been flattened. For safety’s sake, he and Rohan had insisted she encase herself in crystal, not that she’d protested. Azara brushed herself off and resumed her previous position. “If that is your answer, then we will attack. If you wish to surrender, this is your last chance.”
Three simultaneous clacking noises, and Azara’s shoulder was pushed backwards, the crack of stone and the puff of dirt farther off telling Jin what had happened to the other two bullets. She turned to him, nodding. Jin cancelled his spell, before starting his next.
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