by Lucia Ashta
I would have preferred to follow them. As mesmerizing as the fire was, weariness was setting in faster than the night. But Nando usually did what I wanted, and after what we’d been through, it was important to do what he wanted. The bandage that wrapped around his head was already brown from the dirt our horses had kicked up, a vivid reminder of how difficult the day had been.
“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” I said.
He didn’t answer for a long while. When he did, it was after a long inhale. “It is. Beautiful things can rise from the ugliness. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes.”
“When did you get so wise?”
He laughed, and I loved the sound of happier times, of normalcy, whatever that would look like for us now. “I’ve always been wise. Apparently it took a near-death experience to make you acknowledge it.”
“Be real, Nan. Just in this one day we’ve survived several near-death experiences.”
He went to laugh again, but the sound choked off early. “Today was frightening.”
I never thought I’d hear my brother admit to fear, and that one confession stirred the emotions inside me more than almost anything we’d experienced that day. “It was.” The fire blazed. Occasional popping bursts reached all the way to where we were, as the fire crackled with vehemence. “I hope Walt will be fine.”
Nando turned melancholy eyes on me. “I hope so too.”
“You ready to go now?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
We turned our horses to follow. “How could we have lost sight of the others already?” I asked.
“I don’t know. They couldn’t have gone that far. We’ll catch up.”
I nodded despite the unease that overtook me, and clicked my tongue to signal Trixie onward. “Good girl,” I said to her, patting her neck.
I smiled at the mare even though she wouldn’t see my expression. “She did a wonderful job handling a difficult situation.”
“Well, you can probably spend all the time you want with her once we get back to Acquaine. With Miranda and Maurisse out of the picture, things will be calm at the academy.”
I chuckled. “You actually believe things will be calm?” I didn’t even bother keeping the incredulity from my voice.
“With Maurisse out of the way, and Miranda dead, the SMS is bound to fall apart, at least until they find someone else to lead them. If we’re lucky, they’ll disband entirely.”
I arched my eyebrows at my brother, though I suspected the expression was probably lost on him. The hill our horses walked down blocked off the flames behind us, and as soon as we dipped, I realized night had truly begun to settle in while we admired the fire. We should have moved sooner. I bit my lip. Not even Elwin, who flew overhead, cast a shadow. “Let’s hurry. I want to catch up with the others before it becomes too dark to see anything.”
Nando wordlessly urged his horse into a canter, which I matched. Sir Lancelot’s head lolled back and forth, as if it hung from a string.
“Think about it, Isa. Miranda is dead. Maurisse is gone.”
“How do we really know he’s gone though?” I interrupted. “Just because we didn’t see him doesn’t mean he’s truly gone.”
“No, of course not. But a man like him, who derives so much of his power from his influence, will be devastated to lose his stronghold. Simon demolishing his castle will weaken him immensely. I’d be surprised if he ever returns. And certainly if he does, it will be some time before he’ll be able to regain influence with the sorcerers he recruited. Surely they’ll cast him in doubt after his attempt to destroy us failed so obviously.”
“But he almost didn’t fail, Nan. Think of all we’ve been through since we arrived here. For goodness’ sake, you have a bandage holding your head together. For all we know, he’ll spin the tale to his followers in a completely different light, and make himself the hero. If he’s all about wielding influence and manipulating, he’ll manage it with this too.”
Nando tsked me. “Remember what Arianne said.”
Right. I adjusted my attitude. We needed all the advantages we could get, because I didn’t trust the darkness that surrounded us, hiding the unknown from sight, and I sure as hell didn’t trust a sorcerer capable of killing all of us in one swoop.
“We don’t know what he’ll do,” Nando said. “But we can be certain that he’ll be weakened after losing the castle. I mean, what will he tell the king?”
“I’m sure he’ll come up with something,” I muttered, before auto-correcting. “You’re right. He’ll be weak, and at the very least he’ll need time to regroup. Time during which I can properly show Trixie my gratitude for all she’s done for me. And spend time with Elwin as well.” I cast a glance to the skies, but could barely make out the firedrake. Beyond swooping swaths of a more saturated darkness, I wouldn’t have been sure he was there at all. The colors of the sun—and fire—had faded as we put distance between us and the castle.
“It’ll be great at the academy. Just think.” Nando’s voice took on an upbeat tone, and I realized he must be working to find the good in our situation. “We’ll actually get to take lessons. We’ll learn so much about magic. There are so many amazing things to do, so much more than we’ve ever imagined, I’m sure.”
I was sure of that too. But I was working hard not to be equally sure that things wouldn’t be that easy for us.
As if Nando had jinxed us, an eerie voice, which vibrated with a darkness deeper than the night, called out. “Stop right there.”
I didn’t want to obey. Heck, I wanted to fight. But my body obeyed his command as swiftly as Trixie drew to a stop. Even Sir Lancelot’s light snores and twitching ceased.
“Who is it?” Nando called.
But I already knew.
Elwin dropped from the sky like a rock.
Chapter 7
Elwin hadn’t been flying overly high because he wanted to remain close to me—thank goodness! Regardless, when he fell, he must have plummeted at least thirty feet.
His body landed against the hard ground next to us with a sickening thwump. The impact knocked the breath from my chest and made me flinch every muscle.
Firedrakes were resilient. But the crash had sounded too loudly, and there’d been no movement after. No groaning or complaining, no writhing in pain. Nothing.
Elwin? I called through our mind link, but didn’t receive a response.
I blinked rapidly, willing myself to get my emotions under control. I attempted again to move, either to go to Elwin’s aid or to get Trixie to keep going. But I couldn’t. My body continued to obey a command that shouldn’t have had any authority over me.
We were in big trouble, because even though I couldn’t make out the man in the darkness, I knew exactly who it must be.
“Ugh,” Duke Maurisse said disgustedly. “These two will do me no good.”
These two? Who was he talking to?
“Marcelo! Vlad! Brave! Help us.” Nando yelled at the top of his lungs. It’s exactly what I should have done. I never had been good in emergencies.
Surely the others would come to our rescue. Count Vabu would be thrilled. He wouldn’t have to bother with hunting the duke down; he could kill him right here, right now.
The blood in my veins chilled to ice when the duke broke into frigid laughter. “He doesn’t actually think I’d be stupid enough to allow him to call for help, does he?”
“I guess he does.”
I startled at the second voice emanating from the darkness, swiveling my head this way and that, but it was useless. Already it was too dark to make out anything.
“Sinter,” Nando whispered to me softly so the men wouldn’t hear.
Sinter? Miranda’s minion? The creepy looking one with the greasy, stringy hair, who was far too thin to look anything but sinister?
I pursed my lips in frustration and again tried to make a move, but the only movement I could make was minimal. Trixie whinnied and snorted as if she sensed the darkness emanating from the men. I wa
nted desperately to pet her in reassurance, but I couldn’t carry out the motion.
“They obviously don’t recognize who I am,” the duke said.
“We know exactly who you are,” Nando snapped to the subtle sound of clinking. I imagined he was trying to grab his sword.
“They obviously don’t or he wouldn’t dare to address me without my permission.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Sinter said, but the title sounded dead as it left his lips.
“I’d address you with respect if you deserved it,” Nando said, and I was proud of my brother and his courage.
“The boy has no idea about what I’m capable of, that much is clear.”
“We’re right here. Stop talking about us as if we weren’t.”
“And he thinks he has control over the situation. How... precious.” The duke’s words could slice ice.
“We—”
“Silence, boy.” Although Maurisse didn’t raise his voice, his tone was more frightening than before, and I sensed Nando hesitating beside me. Enraging the sorcerer who held us captive without a dungeon wouldn’t do any good, but neither would giving him what he wanted. What did he want?
“I’ll tell you when you may speak,” the duke said. “Other than that, you keep your lips pursed.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I’ll shut them for you.” I couldn’t see if Maurisse smiled as he made the threat, but I could sense the creepy enjoyment he’d get from harming us.
“That’ll be fun to see,” Sinter said, and fury bubbled in my blood. The sniveling man would say whatever ingratiated him with the duke. I wanted to smack him, and I’d never wanted to strike a single person in my life.
“If you’re lucky, maybe I’ll let you see it. Remember, you still have to prove your worth to me.”
“Of course, Your Grace. I will, I absolutely will.” The words rattled from Sinter’s lips too quickly and with little sincerity.
Mumbling came from the direction of the duke, and suddenly a faint light burgeoned to life in the palm of his hand. The light was soft and pleasant; it made me want to find a gentle face with welcoming features.
And I almost did. The duke was everything that Miranda hadn’t been, once her illusion dropped to reveal the sorceress she really was. He was fair-haired, with striking features, strong shoulders, and a pleasant silhouette. He was dressed to impress, playing the role of brother to the king perfectly.
If it weren’t for the foulness that streamed from his lips, I would have considered him handsome. I was certain the ladies at court must fawn over him, all vying to be the one to snag his hand in marriage.
But beneath the façade, his true nature slithered like a viper, biding its time for the perfect strike. I shivered involuntarily. More than anything, I wanted to get away from this man. His perverse energy repelled me, and he hadn’t even drawn near to me.
“I don’t think these will do,” the duke continued. “They’re too... insignificant.”
“Perhaps,” Sinter said carefully. “But with Your Grace’s estate gone, perhaps we shouldn’t be so choosy.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t dare to suggest what I should and shouldn’t do.” The chill in the comment was almost enough to make me feel sorry for Sinter—almost. “You’d be wise never to forget who I am.” It was more like whom he was related to that Sinter shouldn’t forget.
“Of course, Your Grace.”
Every time Sinter said “Your Grace,” a wave of disgust shot through me. I hoped I wouldn’t have to hear much more of it, but I didn’t think I’d be so lucky.
The duke stepped over Elwin’s limp form as he were nothing more than rubbish, then circled our horses. When he stood immediately in front of Nando and me, he studied us with a detached expression on his face, as if we were objects.
I’d disliked the man before meeting him. Now that I’d seen him, I disliked him even more. I imagined that he put on a show for the king and any one else he deemed of importance, but it seemed impossible that he could hide all the ugliness within him. Yet somehow, he must have achieved it.
He tilted his head to one side. “Who are they?” The iciness of his tone was at odds with his appearance, making me wonder what kind of schism might exist within the man. How could he seem so different than he really was? That kind of personality split must do something to a person.
But then, anyone who could do the things Maurisse had done, and clearly intended to continue doing, couldn’t be right in the head, magic or no magic.
Sinter circled our horses from the other side and moved a respectable distance behind Maurisse. “I don’t know exactly who they are.”
When Maurisse flared his nostrils and huffed, Sinter hurried to amend his statement. “But I know much about them.”
“Go on.”
Sinter nodded pathetically and spoke rapidly. “Miranda lured them out of the academy through a portal. Then she captured them in her dungeon and questioned them about the going-ons of the academy and those on the Magical Council.”
Actually, Priscilla had been the one to question us. But Sinter was playing a game in which truths only mattered when they were convenient.
“Miranda didn’t learn anything of great importance.”
“No, she wouldn’t have. She failed at the one task I gave her. All she had to do was take out the members of the academy. I even served them up for her on a platter. Trapped inside my castle with no way to leave, she should have been able to terminate them.”
Sinter looked as if he were thinking exactly what I was, and what undoubtedly Nando was too. If it was so easy to wipe us out, then why didn’t Maurisse do the job himself. The three of us wisely kept our mouths shut.
“What else?” Maurisse prompted.
“Well, they, ah, eventually escaped. Another time, Miranda had the girl at her mercy, but she got away then too.”
“And how did she do it?”
I gritted my teeth at their referring to me as “the girl,” but I supposed it was better than speaking to me directly.
“Through a portal, both times.”
The duke peered at me. I squirmed beneath his attention, wanting to wipe it off me as if it were physical filth. “And did she create these portals?”
“I believe so.”
That wasn’t exactly true, and Sinter should have been aware of it. He’d been there when my attempt at creating a portal fizzled and I’d retreated through one of Madame Pimlish’s creation. I wasn’t sure why he would lie, or if it was to my advantage to correct him. Was it better to appear powerful or powerless? I had no idea. I wasn’t prepared for something like this. Maurisse was a master manipulator, and Nando and I were both over our heads.
“So the girl creates portals. Hmph. What else?”
“I-I don’t know, Your Grace.”
“And the boy?”
“I didn’t see him use any magic at all.”
“So he’s useless?”
“I believe so.”
My chest tightened as a near desperation to defend my brother swept through me. But he, unlike me, didn’t react at all. He didn’t even flinch at the insult. I breathed in and took my cues from him.
We were on our own until Count Vabu, Marcelo, and the others realized we weren’t following them and came to find us, or until Grand Witch Tillsdale, Simon, and that other group caught up with us. Either option was a good one. I had no doubt that either the count or the grand witch would kill Maurisse. The vampire had enough rage on his side to augment his power. And the grand witch was supposedly a legend in the magical world.
“I don’t want these children,” Maurisse said, sounding like a petulant child for a moment. “I have no good use for them. And what else do we have? A nearly-dead firedrake? A puny bird?”
Ah, so Maurisse had noticed Sir Lancelot cradled in my arms. But clearly he didn’t recognize him for the expert in magic the owl was.
Maurisse spat in the dirt, spittle landing on Sinter’s boots. “You failed me, Sint
er. You should have secured better magicians.”
I missed how it was Sinter’s fault, but he apologized anyway.
“Apologies do me no good, man. I need more powerful magicians. If not when I kill these children, it won’t bring down the resistance.”
Kill? I gulped down my terror and forced myself not to spiral down into the depths of fear Maurisse instilled naturally. His eyes were what frightened me the most. It was like staring into the eyes of a shark, cold and depthless... totally predatory.
“I need Mordecai or Arianne, even that stupid clone of hers would have helped. I need someone who will actually make a difference, not these fools.”
This time I didn’t react at all.
“Your Grace, perhaps we…”
Maurisse shot him a boiling glance and Sinter self-corrected. “Perhaps Your Grace might like to take these children and their pets as hostages. Use them to lure the other more important magicians.”
Pets? I almost laughed at the thought of the owl and firedrake as pets. It’s not as though they were docile bunnies. While I detested the idea of being Maurisse’s hostages, at least that would buy us time to figure out a way to escape. I swallowed a sigh of frustration. How many times could I be taken against my will, for goodness’ sake? Shouldn’t there be some kind of limit? A moratorium on one man’s evil schemes?
“It’s not an entirely stupid idea.” I wondered if that was Maurisse’s idea of a compliment.
“Thank you, Your Grace. Once the hostages manage to lure the more important members of the resistance, then you can kill the children and their pets.”
Maurisse turned his head in the opposite direction, continuing to study us. I found it difficult to comprehend how he could look at Nando, me, an owl, and a firedrake and see only pawns on a chessboard. What had happened to mold him into the person he now was?
“Yes, I suppose that will work,” Maurisse said. “Since you failed me in delivering the magicians I wanted, then I’ll have to adjust my plan. I won’t wait until the others come to their aid. I need to act before they gather their forces, united against me. I’ll have to regroup before I’m ready for such a showdown. Besides, there are many other sorcerers who’d like the honor, and I’m half inclined to offer it to them.”