“But I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
This time, it was Roeglin who interrupted. “You wouldn’t have to. I can just show them what’s going on in your fuzzy little head and they’ll take it from there.”
It took Marsh a moment to process it, but she nodded. “Okay, then. Let’s start small.”
“Just don’t exhaust yourselves,” Kwame ordered. “The raiders know something’s gone wrong. Just because they haven’t gated in yet doesn’t mean they can’t.”
Marsh nodded. “Noted.”
She looked around and found an open space not far from where they stood. “We’ll need a quarter turn to work out if we can do it.”
“A quarter turn?” Tabia sounded surprised, and Marsh shrugged.
“It’s the best we can do.”
Kwame sputtered.
“What?”
“We thought it would take longer,” he explained, and Marsh turned away.
There wasn’t anything she could say to that. Roeglin and Izmay followed, and Zeb, Gerry, Brigitte, and Tamlin arrived shortly thereafter, anxiety in their eyes.
“What is it?”
“What’s gone wrong?”
Henri and Jakob hurried over, looking concerned. “What’s up?”
“We need to get these people somewhere safe,” Marsh explained. “And the only way we can do that is to open a shadow gate to the first place we stayed.”
Their jaws dropped, and skepticism replaced worry. Marsh wasn’t happy to see it on the faces of the shadow mages since a lack of belief was the biggest obstacle to successfully wielding magic.
At least Henri was true to form. “You can do this?”
It gave her a chance to explain.
“Not on my own, but I think the six of us can do it, and hold it long enough for everyone to get through.”
“Including yourselves?” Henri pressed, casting an anxious look at Izmay.
Marsh smiled. “Yes, including us. We’ll all open it, and then three will cross to the other side so they can keep it open if something goes wrong and breaks our concentration out here.”
“And you’re going to teach us?” Brigitte pressed, clearly wanting to know how.
“Roeglin?” Marsh prompted, and he stepped forward.
“I’m going to show you how she does it as she does it, and you’re going to adapt it so it works for you.”
From Brigitte’s raised eyebrows, that was news to her, but Tamlin grinned.
“I’ve always wanted to see inside her head.”
“Me too,” Henri agreed, but the way he said it put an entirely different spin on the words.
Izmay punched him again.
Marsh ignored them. “Let’s get started.”
She focused on the assembly ground they’d gathered in just prior to their journey to Shamka, being careful to let Roeglin see how she pictured it, and then brought in the other sensations she remembered. There were scents and the way the air felt against her skin, the solidity of the stone beneath her feet.
Someone gave a startled shout, and a spear flew toward her. Roeglin conjured a shield between them and Kwame gave an angry roar.
“Brothers! We are Brothers of the Spear!”
“Kwame!” Tabia commanded, but the warrior’s leader took a running leap through the portal that had opened.
Marsh watched him land, holding the door open as they watched him tackle the spear-thrower to the ground. For a moment, they all held their breaths, then Kwame and the spearman broke apart, turning to wave.
“You can close it now,” Tabia told her. “Kwame will tell them what to expect.”
Marsh willed the portal closed and looked around at the other mages. “Did you get that, or should I do it again?”
“Give us a moment,” Brigitte answered for the others, and Marsh waited as each one found a space of their own and focused on something none of them could see. The results were unexpected.
Brigitte’s portal opened first, then Tamlin’s. They showed identical destinations—the assembly ground in Bisambe with the dining hall in the background, but before Marsh could comment, the portals shifted, drifting into each other and expanding.
“Oh.”
By then, Zeb had opened his portal, followed by Gerry and Roeglin. Those too hung as short-lived individuals before drifting to enlarge the portal in front of Brigitte and Tams. They all stared at it, their mouths open in wonder.
“So that’s how you make them bigger,” Tabia exclaimed.
It was news to Marsh, as well, but she didn’t say so—and Tabia had a question.
“How long do you think you can hold them?”
Roeglin gave the silent order for them to shut the gates down.
“We don’t know,” Marsh answered, “and we don’t have the time to practice until we know our limits. Once we open the next portal, we’ll hold it for as long as we can, and warn you before we lose it.”
Tabia frowned, not liking the implications.
“We can’t wait for all the answers,” Marsh told the shield leader and gestured toward the ex-prisoners. “Not if you want them out of here before the raiders come.”
Tabia met her eye and then nodded. “Stand by. I’ll get them ready to move.”
“What about us?” Henri asked, coming to stand alongside Roeglin.
The shadow mage gave him a devious smile. “You’re riding herd on Aisha, and Jakob and I are guarding the mages on this side of the portal.”
Henri opened his mouth to protest, but Roeglin cut him off. “Unless you want latrine duty?”
He made it sound like an offer, but Henri snapped his mouth closed and hurriedly shook his head. “Sir, no, sir.”
Roeglin smirked. “I didn’t think so.”
Henri went to fetch Aisha, looking pleased when Mordan came with them. “I got your kat,” he told Marsh. “That’s seven dinners.”
Marsh stared at him. “For a kat?”
He smirked. “How important is it that we don’t leave her behind?”
Marsh rolled her eyes.
“Fine. Six.”
Before Henri could reply, Tabia tapped Marsh on the shoulder. “We’re ready.”
Marsh looked at the others. “Ready?”
“Where do you want us to open it?” Roeglin asked, looking as much at Tabia as he did at her.
Tabia glanced back at the rows of ex-prisoners and gestured in front of them. “How about here?”
Marsh nodded in agreement and they lined up along the line of her hand, but before they began, Marsh remembered she had one more thing to relay, “Brigitte, Zeb, and Gerry, you’re on the other side.”
At first, she thought Brigitte was going to object, and she hoped the shadow mage would realize that she’d be the only one of Aisha’s closest circle who’d be through the portal with the girl. After a brief hesitation, Brigitte’s brow cleared and she nodded. “Fair enough.”
They turned so their backs were to those who needed to go through, and Marsh wondered what sort of reception they’d receive. She only hoped they’d be able to handle it and concentrated on visualizing the assembly point.
With Kwame waiting on the other side, they should be okay.
Six identical portals opened, and Marsh willed hers to be bigger than it had been before—two mules high and four wide. She was vaguely aware of Roeglin standing in her mind and passing on the dimensions, even as he opened his own portal and followed her lead.
They watched as the portals shifted and merged, growing larger again, and heard the soft murmur of amazement from those behind them.
“Go through, mages.” Tabia’s words redirected the attention of those behind her to the mages stepping through to the assembly grounds. They also made people notice those waiting just beyond.
Several gasps were followed by names of some they’d thought lost, and the crowd pressed forward on the mages’ heels. Marsh and the rest moved out of their way, keeping their focus on the portal. The raiders’ mages were able to keep thei
r portals steady, so she expected to be able to do the same.
Still, it was a relief when the portal stayed facing the same direction and open. Marsh focused on the way it felt in her mind and how it felt to keep it steady. She didn’t know how it worked for the others and wondered if Roeglin was taking the information and passing it to them so they had an idea of what to do.
Mais oui, he told her and knowing he was in her head, relaying what she was doing to the others and keeping his part of the portal open, gave Marsh the courage to see what else she was capable of.
For one thing, they needed any warning they could get against the raiders’ return. Holding one hand up as though it alone was what kept the portal running, she tried sensing past the lives massed before her, willing the magic to reveal anything out of sight beyond them.
When she had a good idea of what lived in the cavern around them, she tried tweaking the shadow threads so that they would reveal if someone or something was hidden farther out. It was almost too much, and Marsh felt the portal shudder.
She dropped the threads and focused on keeping the portal stable. Scanning for life forces would have to be enough.
Roeglin snorted but didn’t share what he’d found amusing. Marsh watched the Grotto residents they’d rescued, and then the impi’s soldiers move through to the assembly point.
We should be going after Gustav, she thought, and Roeglin took her hand.
We will, but not until we’ve rested.
His words made Marsh realize she was tired. She didn’t want to think of how the others must be feeling.
Some are doing better than others, Roeglin reassured her, and she was glad he’d been monitoring.
“Tamlin, go through.”
The boy raised a hand in response and obeyed. Marsh felt the gate ripple as if he’d almost lost his grip on it. As he reached the other side, the portal steadied, and he went to stand beside Brigitte. She ruffled his hair, and Aisha wrapped her arms around his waist. The portal rippled again, but it held.
You’re next, Jakob.
The ex-caravan guard scanned the cavern and tunnel as he moved toward the center of the gate.
“Quickly,” Roeglin snapped. “You too, Marsh.”
Marsh caught the strain in his voice and didn’t stop to ask. She didn’t leave him behind either but tightened her grip on his hand. As she stepped forward, she jerked him after her, pulling him past her and diving after him as she released his hand.
They hit the stone on the other side, Marsh tucking and rolling. Her hands hit first, and then she was tumbling. She didn’t make it back to her feet though, slamming into Roeglin and ending her journey on top of him.
“Oh, cut it out, you two. Honestly!” Henri taunted but stopped, his attention caught by something else. “Sons of the Deep!”
Marsh didn’t have to look to know what he was seeing. She’d felt the portal collapsing as she’d yanked Roeglin through. Roeglin groaned.
You couldn’t trust me to find my own way back? His voice was plaintive.
No, Marsh told him. I knew you could do that. I just didn’t trust you not to go after Gustav all by yourself.
He curled his lip in disgust. I’m not you, you know.
Marsh cocked an eyebrow and fixed him with a stare.
Of course, he wasn’t, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t have gone without her.
Roeglin caught the look and managed a wry smile.
Yeah, that’s fair.
19
Somewhere to Sleep
The healers and druids worked together to create living quarters for the new additions, and Aisha insisted on helping too. The little girl was happy to be back at Bisambe, especially now Mina had shroom kats. She wasn’t so happy when she discovered Gustav was missing.
“I get,” she declared, heading for the Bisambe’s sealed wall. “I get now.”
Mordan looked askance at Marsh and growled. Perdemor ignored his mother and stalked past them, his tail stuck in the air in disapproval. Scruffknuckle bounded past with his usual exuberance.
“You don’t know where you’re going,” Tamlin argued. “Listen to what Marsh is saying.”
“Not my mama.”
Tamlin grabbed her and swung her around so he could take both her shoulders and look into her eyes. “She is now.”
“Nuh-uh!” Aisha shook her head, sticking out her bottom lip. “Marsh will find Mama.”
Marsh decided to take advantage of that. “Yes, I will, and I will find Gustav, too, but we are needed here.”
“Always somefing,” the little girl declared, mimicking her brother’s tone of disgust perfectly.
Tamlin stared at her, wide-eyed. “Not nice, Aysh.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “You say it.”
He blushed beet-red at her words and turned his head away from Marsh, keeping his eyes on his sister’s face. “And it’s not nice when I do.”
Marsh noticed he didn’t apologize. She watched as Aisha studied his face. “Need Gustav.”
Need Gustav to be safe, Roeglin translated, and Marsh nodded.
“Aysh,” she said, and the little girl threw a thundercloud scowl in her direction. “Not talking to you.”
Marsh ignored the raised eyebrows of the warriors around her and walked over to the child.
“We will go get—”
The sound of the rock wall parting drew her attention, and she looked over in time to see Tabia’s eyes flash white. They returned to their normal color quickly enough, and she looked at Marsh and Roeglin. “Are you hurt?”
Marsh shook her head, helping Roeglin to his feet the same way he was helping her. It was a miracle when neither of them dragged the other one back down. She saw his eyes flash white, and shortly after, the others gathered around them.
“Master Envermet has arrived,” Roeglin told them as Aisha’s delighted shriek pierced the air.
“Master Ennermet!”
Tamlin’s horrified cry of “Aisha!” rang out straight afterward and was followed by the sound of running footsteps.
Roeglin looked at them. “We’d better catch up,” he said and then added, “Try to stay in formation.”
He wheeled about and dog-trotted in the direction Tabia and her squad had already left in. The rest of the shadow mages followed, Henri and Izmay bringing up the rear. Brigitte jogged forward and tapped Roeglin on the shoulder.
“I need to catch up with my apprentices.”
He nodded. “Go.”
She didn’t wait for him to change his mind but hurried after the two children, catching up in time to see Aisha thread her way between two startled druids and wrap her arms around the shadow captain’s leg. She hugged him tight and burst into tears.
Marsh heard Roeglin groan and her heart dropped.
Master Envermet had picked Aisha up and was awkwardly patting her back. Tamlin looked anxiously on when they arrived.
“Tell me what happened,” he ordered, and Marsh didn’t need Roeglin’s confirmation to know what he meant.
He means Gustav, Roeglin said and told the shadow captain what had happened.
The impi that had escorted the shadow captain and his men into camp cast worried glances at their own captain and then at Tabia, who had waited quietly, watching the scene.
When Roeglin had finished his report, Aisha sat up and gave Master Envermet a hopeful look. “We go get?”
He smiled at her and shook his head. “I need to talk to Mistress Sulema and...”
There were tears in Aisha’s voice. “Pleeease get.”
Master Envermet blinked, then looked at Marsh and Roeglin and blinked again. It was clear he was seeing something in the way they were standing but didn’t have time to comment. Marsh gave him credit, though. He didn’t try to disentangle the child in his arms or set her down.
He just settled her on his hip and turned to the community leader. “Mistress Sulema, forgive the intrusion. Do you have time to see us?”
She dipped her head in ackno
wledgment. “Captain Moldrane told us you were coming, and I, for one, am glad to see he was right. Your timing is flawless.”
Captain Envermet frowned. “This sounds ominous.” He turned to the woman riding alongside him. “Sergeant Seward, would you see to the men?”
“Sir.”
Envermet indicated Roeglin. “Shadow Master Leger will be your liaison.”
“Stay with me,” Roeglin ordered when Marsh would have moved to accompany Tamlin and Brigitte. “You too.”
Casting reluctant glances behind them, the pair returned to the rest of the squad and followed Roeglin as he liaised with the people from Ariella’s Grotto. They did not see Master Envermet again until he joined them in the dining hall, Aisha draped against his shoulder.
He settled himself into the spare seat at their table, one arm around her back, and looked at Marsh. “She’s gotten bigger,” he said, “and heavier.”
The “she” in question gave an inelegant snort and wiped her face on his shirt. He wrinkled his face. “She’s cute when she’s asleep and not causing trouble.”
“I bet you say that about all the children.” Marsh smiled, relieved to see the child had worn herself out. She glanced at Tamlin.
“See?” she told him. “Perfectly fine.”
Master Envermet regarded the boy with a serious stare and then his lips quirked upwards. “My days of eating children are over, boy.”
His comment drew a smile from Tamlin. “I’m sorry she got away from me, sir.”
The captain’s smile widened. “She does that often. Somehow I don’t think it’s always your fault.”
Tamlin blushed. “That doesn’t matter, sir. She is my sister, and I’m supposed to keep her out of trouble.”
Master Envermet gave a short bark of laughter. “You’d be better off trying to light the Deeps—and you’d have more of a chance at succeeding.”
Tamlin stood. “Have you eaten, sir?”
Envermet shook his head and looked at Roeglin and his Sergeant. “Are the men settled?”
Sergeant Seward caught Roeglin’s signal to go ahead and began her report. As she began, Tamlin left the table and returned with a plate of food for the shadow captain.
Magic Below Paris Complete Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 8): Trading Into Shadow, Trading Into Darkness, Trading Close to Light, Trading By Firelight, Trading by Shroomlight, plus 3 more Page 116