by David Ekrut
“I am Asianda.” He took another sip. “Even though it matters little, I believe you are more concerned with who I was. Your suspicions are correct, daughter-heir to Zaak of house Lifesong. I am not here by coincidence either. I knew you would come to me on this day and time.”
Feffer found himself holding the hilt of his blade. The hair on the back of his neck rose. He wanted to stand. He glanced over his shoulder, expecting enemies to appear. No one came. He did not trust this man.
“What do you want with us?” Zarah asked, voice steady.
“I wish to ask you a question. Answer honestly, and I will aid you. If you cannot discover your own truths, your Vision will come to pass. And Arinth will fall to ruin.”
Her voice cracked as she said, “What do you wish to know?”
“You have seen what will become of your journey, yet you still venture on. I can see this when I look into the futures. What I cannot see is … Why?”
Zarah’s face paled. Her eyes glistened with fear. He took hold of her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. When he pulled his hand back, she squeezed, not letting him go.
“I must,” she said at last.
“Even if failure is unavoidable? You will die. The heartblades will remain in the hands of your enemies. What greater good will your death serve?”
“The future is not set,” Feffer said. “It can’t be.”
“But even if that is not true,” Zarah said. “Even if we are fated to die, I cannot turn away from my duty. I am bound to serve my people.” She turned to regard Feffer. The flames of the fire reflected across her unspent tears. One escaped as she added, “Regardless of the sacrifice, I must try to save them, even if there is only the smallest of chance to do so.”
He knew then she had spoken the truth. They would die in Abadaria. He would fail to save her. Still, she would not turn back, so neither would he.
“Though spoken honestly, this is not your truth,” Asianda said. “I see that now. Thank you. I will aid you. There is still a chance that you might find it before the end.”
Anger stabbed through him. “What thumping truth? If it can help, just thumping tell us.”
His thin smile was full of pity. “Despite my words, you will remain impetuous Feffer Madrowl. Easier for a stone to resist the pull of the ground than for you to deny the gravity of his call. Resist your nature, and you can save her. Follow the trajectory from which you were thrown, and she will die. So will you.”
Feffer spilled the tea on his hand and cursed. “Thumping fantastic.” He stood, placing the tea on the small table. “Any other good advice?”
“Feffer,” Zarah warned. “You will mind your tongue. Asianda has given us shelter from the cold and has aided us beyond expectation.”
“Aided us how? Everyone is at war. So what? We already knew that. We are going to die in Abadaria. We knew that, too. We’ll still go. We’ll still fight to the end. Let’s be about it already. Why are we even listening to him? He’s one of them. We can’t trust a word he says.”
“Please sit,” she said.
He plopped down next to her, meeting her stare without flinching.
She looked away first, turning her gaze to the old man. “My apologies. Thank you for your aid.”
“No apology is necessary.” If he was bothered by Feffer’s outburst, it did not show in his voice. “I understand your frustrations, but tampering with the flow of time is volatile. I interfere with great trepidation and do so only because the consequences of acting surpasses the inevitability of what comes from doing nothing.”
Feffer rolled his eyes but otherwise bit his tongue. Speaking in riddles and pomp felt much like doing nothing. Saying so might earn him another punch from Zarah. Instead, he gave the man his best scowl.
“Having said that,” Asianda continued with no concern for Feffer’s glare. “The tome you carry will provide as much insight to you as it did Alcoa. I have a few notes I can give that will help you through some of your obstacles.”
“How do you know so much?” Feffer asked, not hiding his skepticism. “Have you been watching us?”
“You and others. I have long foreseen certain eventualities. This meeting is but one such event.”
“If you know so much, why in the abyss do you sit way out here in the middle of nowhere and do nothing?” Feffer did not say the word coward, but he thought it with every fiber of his being.
“When you are a twig in the river, you see only the water carrying you along. Sit upon the shore, and you can see others moving in the currents. You could throw yourself into the flow and lose all perspective. Like the twigs, you will be at the mercy of the river. Wiser is he who sees all and affects what he can with careful nudges to those trapped within the waters. And when absolutely necessary, such a person can throw a rope into the rapids to save those who would otherwise drown.”
“For the love of Life, you could give Daki lessons in not answering thumping questions. I say you are a cursed co—ow!”
Zarah’s nails dug into his leg. “How can we repay you for the tome?”
“Succeed in your quest, and it will be Arinth who is indebted to you.”
“Will do.” Feffer stood once more. “Can we go now?”
Zarah finished her tea then set it on a side table. “You have been most gracious Asianda, despite my companion’s rough manners.”
Asianda stood and grabbed a pack from beside the writing table. He held it out to Zarah. “A tome is within as is a map that will guide you safely through the mountain pass. The dried bread and meat have less flavor than those of your homeland, but they will carry you to Abadaria.”
Taking the pack, she inclined her head. “The Lifebringer preserve you.”
“And you.”
Feffer moved toward the door, eager to be away from the magus. He exited the cabin, leaving Zarah to her goodbyes. Why in the abyss was she trusting one of them?
“What is wrong with you?” she said, catching up with him.
“Not here.” He pivoted to the south.
“You are being ridiculous.”
“Me? No. You are being ridiculous. He is a stranger. I don’t trust him. I mean, how does he know so much about us?”
“That is why I trust him,” she said, digging through the pack Asianda had given her. “If he wished us harm, he would simply let us pass. Why tell us anything at all?”
“To earn our trust.”
“But why? This map is detailed. It takes us around the snowy peaks. This will save us days. And look, there is a spare cloak. These rations will keep us from needing to hunt. You really should go back and apologize.” She glanced back toward the cabin. “He was …”
“He was our enemy. By his own admission, his people did this. They brought back the—what are you looking at?”
He turned around, following her gaze. The cabin was gone. So were the goats. Smoke lingered where the fireplace had been, rising and dispersing where the chimney had once stood. Feffer scratched at the scruff that had grown on his cheeks.
“Wait,” he said, chasing after her. “What if it comes back?”
“There is no foundation,” she said. Her boots made prints in the light snow, where the building had been. “It is as if he was never here. This was not a taming. It was—release me.”
He pulled her back, ignoring her protests, not letting go until she was clear of the space.
“You realize what this means?” she asked. She did not wait for him to answer. “He really was a magus. He was telling the truth. We can save our people.”
This also meant the traps she’d seen in her Vision were real. Their deaths felt more likely now than ever, and he would walk hand-in-hand with her to it.
Zarah’s eyes were so full of hope, he could not voice his fears. He could only return her gaze and pray he could save her.
Chapter 53
Dear Anetia,
I hope you still live and that this letter finds you. I have heard of the dragon attacks on Trammel. Until now, the dragons have been content to pluck traveling elementalists from the road, but now they are going for the cities. This blow has shaken the confidence of our foes. Soon, they will move on Alcoa City and attack the elementalists in their homes.
Yes, please do join me here, where it is safe. There will be a place waiting for you. Do not worry over the sigils protecting the front gate. For any of the magi, they are easily passable. Mostly, they are a precaution against wanderers and treasure-seekers. So long as you do not tarry inside any of the manors, you will be safe. Walk to the city square at the center of Abadaria, and our incanters will find you. Give them the attached symbol and mention my name.
Send word when you depart. I will check my post more frequently to plan for your coming.
Best regards,
~Ricaria Beratum, 2998 A.S.
~
Jax watched the bounty huntress march toward him and could only stare.
Jesnia strode toward him with a gaggle of children in her wake. Behind them, he could see the city walls, several miles up the road. The south wall was besieged by a throng of soldiers. Surely, that wasn’t the guardians. Who? That was a puzzle for later.
A greater quandary stomped toward him scowling in every direction. This could not be coincidence. Last he’d seen the bounty huntress was just before the dragon attack in Alcoa. They’d just returned from Kalicodon. Now, here she was, just like Tessaryn had said. Only, they’d escaped her attack. Hadn’t they? What in the abyss did this mean?
“Carry that,” Jesnia said, dropping one of two burlap sacks.
Metal objects clanked together as it struck the road.
“Who is that?” Elwin asked as she strode by.
“Come on,” Jax said, lifting the clunky sack.
He matched strides with Jesnia. “What’s going on?”
“Bain’s army is attacking Churwood.”
“So it is Churwood.”
She gave him a sidelong glance. “You don’t know the city you are traveling to?”
“It’s a long story. You see—”
“I don’t care. We have bigger problems. Did you not hear me. That undead army is going to rip through Churwood. If they head for Iremine next, I would rather not be overtaken.”
“He’ll be here for a month,” Jax said.
She was shaking her head. “Three or four days at most.”
“What is in this?” he peeked inside the sack. Light glittered off more gold than he could count in an hour.
“What in the abyss? How’d you get all this?”
“What?” Jesnia said with a measure of annoyance. Clearly, she’d been deep in a reverie. “It’s gold. Why does it matter how I got it?”
“This is a lot of gold,” he said. “I know you are far too intelligent to knock over the Lenders, but an army coming creates a lot of confusion.”
“Don’t be a twit. This belonged to a bounty I was hunting. She fled, graciously leaving behind a few sacks of gold.”
“What do you plan to do with them?”
“I’m going to Norscelt for a while. I have an estate there. Or I did as of last year. I plan to lay low until this war reaches some sort of equilibrium. Whoever establishes the new law and order will have need of my services.”
“You’re running?”
“Not at all,” she said. “My bounty vanished without a trace. I’m regrouping. You should worry more about yourself.”
“I do just fine, thanks.”
“Tell me again how you gained a palace and wealth beyond imagining while in Kalicodon only to lose it all?”
“That’s different. There were lives to think about.”
“And what happened to all those lives? Are they all good now?”
Jax shrugged. “Not my problem, now. They were freed, those who wanted to be. I am not responsible for what they did with their second chance.”
“So you are finished with your worthless crusade then? Bygones are now bygones with Daddy Fliste, eh?”
“He murdered two hundred fifty-three slavas to teach me a lesson.”
“Wow. That many, eh?”
“He’s freed Eriden of the Ironclad and has raised an army.”
“Of course,” Jesnia laughed. “And you want to raise your own intrepid band of warriors to fight against him. You never learn.”
“Neither do you,” he said, dropping the bag of coins. “Carry your own thumping haul.”
She frowned at him and shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’d rather not split these anymore than I have to.”
“Wait,” Jax said as she reached for the bag. “You mean to share? And without a contract?”
“There is more than enough here to go around, and I could use a competent sword. You in?”
From the weight, he would guess there to be a hundred thousand coins in his bag alone. It’s what he would have earned from stealing the artifact in Wiltshire, and some of the children toted sacks just as large. If she offered enough, he could avoid Abadaria and the Life-cursed magi altogether. He could hire the mercenaries he needed and finish Brinnon once and for all.
“How much are we talking?” Jax asked.
“Thirty percent.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Fifty.”
“Thirty.”
“Forty.”
“Twenty-five.”
“Wait, what? That’s not how you are supposed to negotiate.”
“Twenty.”
“Fine,” Jax said. “How many coins is thirty percent?”
She raised a shoulder in a half-shrug. “A quarter of a million? Maybe more.”
“Why did we stop?” Elwin stood as though he’d been listening for a few seconds.
“Ask him,” Jesnia said, pointing to Jax.
“Just taking a quick rest,” Jax said. “These coins are heavy.”
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Elwin said then added, “alone.”
“You can trust Jesnia. I’ve worked with her before.”
“Jesnia? As in the woman Tessaryn warned us about?”
“Who?” Jesnia demanded.
“A magus,” Jax said, waving a hand. “We can talk about her later. Jesnia, this is Elwin Escari. He is also a magus.”
“In training,” Elwin said. “And we need to turn north. This road is leading us away from our destination.”
“Look, Elwin, maybe we should reconsider going to the ruins. We have an opp—”
“The ruins?” Jesnia asked, amusement dancing in her eyes. “You are going for Abadaria? So what, you are a treasure hunter now?”
“Don’t scoff,” Jax said. “We have ample reasons to believe there are artifacts of power there. As you said, I need the coins to hire some mercenaries.”
“That is ridiculous,” she said.
“Which part?”
“Both. What happened to the fun-loving gambler I met in Kalicodon? Vengeance does not suit you, Jax. And you are terrible at it. What do you know about leading an army, let alone mercenaries? Stop being an oaf. It doesn’t suit you.”
“Haven’t you enough little ones to mind after without being my mother too?” He glanced back at the children, who were all staring at them. The largest of them gave Jax a look of extreme dissatisfaction.
“I don’t have time for this.” Jesnia gestured toward the bag. “Do you want the deal or not? A quarter of a million coins or death at some old ruins?”
“If you are leaving,” Elwin said. “I need that book.”
“You could come with us?” Jax offered to Elwin.
Jesnia looked Elwin up and down. She gave a slight shake of her head and said, “His payment comes out of y
our thirty percent.”
“He’s capable,” Jax insisted.
“I have been given a test,” Elwin said. “I couldn’t turn away if I wanted to. Then there is Tessaryn to think of, and the guardians. They are back there somewhere.”
“Not a chance. We lost the guardians when you jaunted us away.”
“That doesn’t mean they gave up. And the Farseers wanted this. They are still out there. What if this is what Tessaryn wanted?”
He hated that the kid had two good points. There had been a lot of them. With any luck, the undead army would meet them on the road somewhere, but he sure as the abyss didn’t want to be trapped in the middle. As to the other, there was only one way to find out.
“So Jesnia,” Jax said. “What’s the name of your bounty?”
She considered him for a moment before saying, “Woman named Coin. Why?”
His breath caught. Tessaryn had wanted this. Curse it all, what had Jesnia gotten herself into now?
Daren gently pushed through the children and came to stand beside Elwin. “What are we discussing?”
“Jax is leaving with Jesnia,” Elwin accused.
He had to now, didn’t he? Tessaryn wanted Jesnia dead. She’d wanted Jax to kill her and take some book and an artifact. When Jax didn’t, she would send someone else. That was how Carpeci worked.
“Sorry, kid,” Jax said, not sure how much to say. “She’s made a better offer.”
“What else should I expect of rogues?” Elwin said more than asked. “Fine. Can I please have the tome back, now? You won’t need it. And I do.”
Jax ignored Daren’s frown as he dug the tome out of his pack and handed it over to Elwin. “Good luck, kid.”
Elwin snatched the tome and stomped away. Daki and the bear joined him just off the road. When they disappeared into the forest, Jax felt a twinge of guilt at letting them take on Abadaria alone, but somehow he’d gotten Jesnia caught up in his mess with Tessaryn. Without her, he never would have made it out of Kalicodon. He had to help her get free of this. And this was a quarter of a million coins she was offering.
“Let’s go,” Jesnia said. “I’d like to get to a village with an inn by nightfall. And the more ground between us and the undead, the better.”