Sorcery (Dragons & Magic Book 3)

by Dave Higgins

  “We don’t,” Peony said. “I’m Peony, this is Rauger.”

  “You’re a princess?”

  “I am. From the kingdom of Green Moss on Clua Thines.”

  “You said you were kidnapped,” Eluned said. “Why?”

  “They thought I was my father. He’s one of the greatest scholars in the world. Imperatis wanted to drain his mind.”

  Eluned nodded once, then seemed to lose interest in continuing. “He drained a lot of people here. Until we put these walls up and stopped anyone from entering.”

  It all clicked. “You think Imperatis sent us.”

  “You wouldn’t be the first. We can’t trust anyone who comes looking to get in. We lost people that way.”

  No wonder she seemed so tired. “You lost someone yourself, didn’t you?”

  “My Davy,” Eluned said. “My son. He was only sixteen. Orped found a book under his bed and drained him. They took anyone who looked even a little smart. We don’t have many adults any more”

  “Are there any ships?” Rauger asked. “Something that could make the journey to Clua Thines?”

  “We have plenty of those. The captains are drained and gone.”

  “A crew?” Rauger asked. “Are there enough people to sail north?”

  “Probably. But why would they?”

  Rauger pointed at Peony. “Because she can offer those people and their families’ sanctuary. Her soon to be very grateful parents have a kingdom. Plenty of room for anyone who’ll come with us.”

  Eluned frowned. “It sounds too good to be true.”

  “What do you lose by trusting us?” Rauger asked. “How long can you hold out here? How long till Imperatis finishes draining the last of you?”

  “Wait here.” Eluned returned to the gate and slipped through.

  The number of people on the wall had increased. A few of them fingered their bows, as if contemplating shooting the strangers. Peony decided she actually preferred not being threatened.

  The last of her elation at finding free humans drained away. Convincing the townspeople to come with them wouldn’t make everyone safe and happy. She led Rauger out of earshot. “How far will Imperatis go?”

  Rauger frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “He’s dominated this land. Amberwick is the only holdout we’ve found, and they’ll be gone soon. The only reason he hasn’t taken over this kingdom is the zombies. He’s not likely to find anything worthwhile in their heads. How long until he wipes out Rockpoint?”

  “He probably already has,” Rauger said. “When Orped didn’t return with our knowledge in his head, Imperatis would have sent more of his soldiers; this time to burn the town down.”

  “And where’s next? When he’s drained all of Oteon?”

  “Shuatan, maybe, in the east.”

  “Or Clua Thines? I’ve been thinking. Are we really heading somewhere safe? We’re offering these people sanctuary, but for how long?”

  “I don’t know. What else can we do? We can’t go north, west, or south.”

  She nodded, lost in her own thoughts. She’d read endless stories of evil mages like Imperatis. All it took was a hero to stand up to them. One person with a strong enough spirit to face ultimate evil and defeat it. Every time she’d read one of those stories, she’d been the hero. She’d said the last words before crushing evil beneath her boot.

  Rauger stared at her, brow creased. “You’ve got an odd look in your eyes.”

  Before she could get her thoughts straight, Eluned reappeared and beckoned them in. Peony and Rauger hurried into the town before the people could change their minds.

  The gate closed with a boom behind them. Townspeople at the gate with swords in their hands and mistrust in their eyes loomed on either side. Peony focused on moving calmly and keeping her hands in sight. A single wrong gesture would end with death.

  “Reeve Arnald will see you.” Eluned led them through the streets, armed guards flanking them the whole way. Peony looked around as they walked. Scars of Imperatis’ attacks were everywhere. Most of the houses had their doors hanging from their hinges. A few were little more than charred husks, the flames long dead. Only a handful of people hurried through the broad streets. It had obviously been a thriving town before; now it barely had inhabitants left to leave footprints in the dirt.

  Eluned stopped at a large building and gestured for them to enter. Inside, a broad open space lead to a low platform where an overweight, grey-bearded man slumped on high-backed wooden chair. Several townspeople with swords stood either side of him, lacking the discipline of Blackcrest’s guards but not the air of danger.

  Peony realised the other guards had stepped through behind her, their swords still out.

  “Speak.” The heavy man made a hurry-up gesture. “Eluned convinced me to listen, so talk.”

  “I’m Princess Peony Moldi of the Kingdom of Green Moss. I was kidnapped and ended up here. This is Rauger the hunter. We’re trying to find a way back to Clua Thines, to my kingdom.”

  “I’m Reeve Arnald. But you know that from the other times you’ve been here, Orped. That’s the fanciest story you’ve told so far.”

  Peony frowned. “I’m not Orped. I’m a woman, for one.”

  “Search her,” Arnald said. “When you find the flute, cut both their throats.”

  One guard grabbed Peony and searched her, while the other three held their swords ready. She was more thorough than Peony thought necessary, but in the end stopped lifting hanks of Peony’s hair. “No flute.”

  “The man then,” Arnald said.

  If the guard had seemed thorough when searching Peony, she was obsessive in making sure Rauger didn’t have a flute. After checking every inch of him for the third time, she admitted he didn’t have one.

  Arnald tugged at his beard. “Hmm. So what’s the plan? Wait until we’re sleeping, then open the gates?”

  “Our only plan is to persuade someone to take us to Clua Thines on a ship,” Peony said. “They can take us in chains, if that makes you more comfortable. Anything to get home.”

  “Chains?” Arnald said. “Sailing a ship far from here? How will that get Imperatis’ soldiers inside the town?”

  “It won’t,” Rauger said. “We don’t want to get in. We want to get out.”

  “Or you want to get some of us outside the wall.” Arnald eased upright and walked toward Peony and Rauger, favouring his right leg. As he got to Peony, he leaned in close.

  “What?” Peony said. “You trying to see if I’m telling the truth?”

  “If I could see when someone was telling the truth, my family would still be here. Along with hundreds of others in Amberwick.”

  “Imperatis took them all?” Peony asked.

  “Through his lackey, Orped. And every time we killed Orped, another popped up. Sometimes even disguised as one of our own.” Arnald straightened, then tapped his chin. “Now no one makes it past the gate.”

  “We did,” Rauger said.

  “Yes,” Arnald said. “Because you said she’s royal. We have ships. More ships than people to crew them. If you have somewhere for us to escape to, then we’ll listen.”

  “We do,” Peony said. “At least for the moment. Imperatis kidnapped me from my kingdom, but the kidnapping was the first I’d ever heard of him.”

  “Then there’s time to raise an army,” Arnald said. “To teach people to be afraid of musicians and other wandering risks to public order.”

  Peony tried to imagine a Green Moss where everyone suspected their neighbour of being an enemy. “Why has no one tried fighting? Going south to strike against Imperatis?”

  Arnald chuckled. “Play the hero? Plenty tried. None returned. Except as Orped. Only Imperatis’ lackeys come north.”

  “Why does it matter?” Rauger frowned at Peony. “You heard him. Guarantee them somewhere to escape to, and they’ll take you home. Their experiences will help your parents prepare for what’s to come.”

  Peony nodded. “They can sail t
o Green Moss; they should do it straight away. If they mention I sent them, they’ll be welcome. However, I’ve been reading about quests since I was a little girl. And I’ve heard about them endlessly from my parents. This feels like a quest in need of a hero.”

  A tingle of energy ran through her. She felt heavier. Not like she’d gained weight or was tired; but as if she were more solid, somehow more real.

  Chapter 18

  Corpse Armies

  Edmond could barely see anything in the gathering darkness. Dim shapes loomed up as they moved, each making him think for an instant that the giants were back. Manky giants who hadn’t washed in a while.

  After a short distance, Daffodil stopped hobbling. Edmond breathed a sigh of relief. He’d known they were pretending to lose, and that fighting was what his wife was best at, but it was good to see being knocked through the air hadn’t hurt her.

  “You got any mana?” she asked. “We could use some light.”

  “A little.” Grew ran through some familiar steps and a blaze appeared over his head, the shadows dancing as he walked on.

  Edmond wondered if they wanted to draw attention to themselves, but if they’d waited much longer they’d have stumbled on the rough… Despite the landscape, there weren’t any rocks around them; not even a stone or pebble. As if the hillside had been picked clean.

  Through the darkness, he made out stationary figure. “Hello, there!”

  The person didn’t react, continuing to stand in silence. Maybe they didn’t understand him. Edmond racked his brains; what did they speak in Oteon? Basic sign language would be the same, so all he needed was a mime for “My daughter, the princess, has been kidnapped. Have you—”

  Grew’s light spilled across the sagging remains of the man’s face.

  “Zombie!” Daffodil completed her swing before Edmond had even realised she’d drawn her axe. The zombie’s head spun through the air, expression still neutral.

  Edmond drew his own sword and cast about in all directions. “Can you give us more light, Grew?”

  Grew twirled for a moment. A fountain of glowing spheres shot up. Instead of falling again, each light hung at the top of its arc, illuminating everything around.

  Including the dozens of zombies shambling toward them.

  Daffodil retreated until she was almost sharing Edmond’s boots. She’d always hated zombies. If there was anything that could make her pause in battle, it was the undead. He pushed forward and took the lead, swinging his sword in anticipation of battle.

  Turning, Grew drew a long dagger. “Behind us.”

  Edmond paled at the sight of more zombies staggering and lurching from the other side. There were too many to fight. And if they did somehow cut them all down, they’d get bitten in the process. “Make a hole and run.”

  He strode toward the zombies ahead of them, scything a path. Slashing at any that got to close, he charged for the far side of the mob. He felt Daffodil close behind, taking care of any he missed.

  The zombies grew thicker, getting in each other’s way but also making it harder to cut a path. Edmond’s arm ached, slashes now slower and less accurate than before. If he didn’t reach the edge soon, their rescue would end in shambles.

  Then the light touched the foot of a high wall. More zombies milled around a castle or stumbled along scaffolding.

  Edmond ignored them and went for the open gate. If there was a castle, there’d be somewhere to defend.

  The courtyard held even more undead. He cleaved a path through them, both hands gripping his sword. Daffodil took her place by his shoulder, her own axe whirling, while Grew stood at their back, stabbing any zombies that got too close.

  The doors to the keep flew open. A glowing apparition floated forth, clad in heavy plate armour from the neck down. “Attack! Attack, my doughty minions!”

  Those zombies not already trying to eat the humans, stiffened with purpose, crushing one another to get into battle first.

  Edmond’s blade had dulled, and his blows barely reached chest height. They were done for. Over the tops of the zombies, he saw the ghost dancing with glee.

  Then a bolt of light hit the ghost in the head. The apparition gasped, mouth opening wider and wider until only a scream remained.

  Edmond didn’t have time to be puzzled, his attention drawn by the dozen zombies reaching for him. He cleft hand after hand from wrist after wrist, but his opponents just flailed with their stumps instead.

  “Stop!” A voice echoed around the courtyard.

  As one, the zombies ceased their attack and backed off a pace.

  “Outside!” the voice called.

  The zombies turned and shambled toward the gate.

  A second ghost hovered in the gateway, holding his finger out like a scolding parent. In minutes, the courtyard was empty.

  Edmond wiped his sword clean and sheathed it. His weapon would be no good against the ghost.

  The spectre floated closer, a single zombie trailing him. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

  Daffodil swallowed a gulp of air and rolled her shoulders. “I’m Queen Daffodil of Green Moss. This is my husband, King Edmond, and our friend Pettigrew the Magnificent. We’re journeying south to kill Imperatis Erud.”

  “Ah-ha,” the ghost said. “Good. I’m Kense, and I’m raising an army to do the same. Do you want to come?”

  “As zombies?” Edmond eyed the single zombie behind Kense.

  “ What use would you be as zombies? I saw you fighting. You’d boost our chances. Plus, I’m guessing you can climb a fence?”

  “Sure.” A fence? Edmond would climb a metaphorically infinite number of fences in a measurable period if it meant rescuing his daughter.

  “Good. Because there’s a fence in the way, and my zombies would have trouble with it.”

  “Can’t we chop it down?” Daffodil asked.

  Kense clapped. “Good idea. I knew saving you was the right thing to do. Now, we just have another zombie army to pick up on our way south, then we can declare war. Some idiot has them building a pyramid.”

  “A pyramid?” Grew said.

  “Don’t ask,” Kense said. “Listen, stay back from the undead. They’re under control, but you never know. Best to hang back until I need you for something complex, like breathing.”

  Edmond shrugged. He hadn’t wanted to get to close to the zombies. It seemed a little confusing, though. Why was a ghost going to kill Imperatis?

  They strolled south as Kense shot back and forth, shouting and waving to shape the horde of zombies into a disorganised rabble.

  Edmond yawned. It had been a long time since he’d slept, but he didn’t want to raise the issue. The ghost might decide humans weren’t worth having after all.

  Chapter 19

  Amberwick and Gone

  Everything Edmond had read on military history showed that marching even a small disciplined force through the night was prone to error; and that even a flicker of light could render a night march futile. However, the parts of him that weren’t his mind indicated that marching into a roiling mass of zombies without warning was also an error; and that a little light would stop him stepping on the bits that fell off on the way. So the three of them each took turns to cast light.

  As dawn broke, they reached the pyramid. Kense motioned for everyone to stay where they were before pulling out his sling and sneaking closer to the ghost at the apex. After a few whirls, Kense’s sling let fly.

  The ghost tumbled backward, the hole in its chest tearing wider and wider until it shredded to nothing.

  Kense flickered and faded before solidifying again. The zombies around the pyramid abandoned their rocks and merged with Kense’s existing army. Tens of thousands of undead now filled the plain, swaying and mumbling in unison.

  The sensible parts of Edmond’s mind screamed at him to leave. Kense’s army was big enough to turn any human kingdom into a slaughtering ground. And even if the ghost’s motives were good, a single accident or lucky blow c
ould send him the way of the zombie’s previous owners; leaving only the ravening horde.

  “Now, we head to Amberwick,” Kense said. “The end of the fence is least patrolled. Plus, I want to see if Peony and Rauger got out all right.”

  “Peony and Rauger?” Daffodil said. “You met them?”

  “They gave me the idea to raise this army. Otherwise, I’d have just milled about for weeks watching my body try to eat rocks. Thanks to them, I’ll get to move on to wherever we go soon.”

  Despite the foul smells and fear of getting nibbled around the edges, Edmond smiled. His daughter seemed to make friends wherever she went. He’d known she’d cope, but it was reassuring to hear she’d got so far south without… trouble. “When did you last see them?”

  “Yesterday. They headed for Amberwick to find a ship to take them to Clua Thines.”

  Edmond met Daffodil’s gaze. For a moment, they were content with life. Their daughter was on her way home, leaving them free to wipe out Imperatis without worrying about her.

  “Let’s go.” Daffodil turned away. “I want to talk to the townspeople, make sure she left.”

  Kense waved his hand toward the growing light. The mass of undead lurched into motion without complaint.

  Edmond stretched, then stumbled after the horde. The three of them would have to rest soon or they’d all collapse from exhaustion, but that could wait until after they knew Peony was safe.

  * * *

  It was after noon by the time they saw the sea, and the town of Amberwick perched beside it. As they approached, Edmond’s gut churned. The gate hung open, and no one moved on the walls. Leaving Kense to gather the zombies back into a mob, he jogged ahead with Daffodil and Grew close behind.

  Things weren’t any more reassuring inside the walls. Whole streets were only scorched timber and piles of rubble. And the few intact buildings gaped empty.

  Daffodil poked a charred joist with her axe. “This isn’t fresh. Definitely before Peony headed here. Can you find out if she arrived, Grew?”

  Grew threw himself into an elaborate dance. Footsteps rose from the dirt ahead, leading toward the sea.