by Guy Antibes
Pira clutched him tightly. “I’m glad I’m wearing leather trousers,” she said. “It isn’t ladylike to ride astride a horse in a dress.”
Ricky laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse in a dress before.”
Pira kicked Ricky’s leg.
“I thought you were more likely to pull a leg than kick one.”
Pira put her head on his back. “I give up.”
Ricky then began to talk to her about the farmland on both sides of the road. “This might be mine someday.”
“Do you wish to become a farmer?”
“No,” Ricky said. “I would like to make sure that farmers work their own land in my domain. Is that better?”
Pira giggled. “I didn’t say it was worse.”
~
The sorcerer had left so quickly, that he hadn’t even made an attempt to take anything. Ricky found letters, a journal, and other personal effects. Rosanno had a wand, but it was made out of wood. Pira helped him gather everything and took it downstairs.
“I won’t get paid for that?” The innkeeper eyed the sorcerer’s clothes.
Ricky shook his head. “The man led an unsuccessful assassination attempt on the duke. He was here for months, so he said. You harbored him. Count yourself lucky I retrieved your horse.”
The innkeeper grunted and quickly turned away to wait on a customer.
The burned soldier and his companions weren’t in sight, so Pira took his arm as they walked across the square to the gate to Cistia Palace.
The guards let them in without a challenge. They walked to the library and plopped Rosanno’s possessions on a reading table.
The duke entered the room. “I saw you pass by. The sorcerer is dead?”
Ricky nodded. “From injuries falling off a horse. I had the chance to interrogate him and found out what we needed to know.”
Ricky gave the duke every detail. He pointed to the belongings. “Rosanno fled as soon as he saw us coming across the square. He didn’t take a thing with him, other than a fat purse.” Ricky pulled it out of his shirt and tossed it on the pile.
“Can I help you read through his papers?” Noacci asked.
“Please do.”
“I should punish Pub,” Noacci said.
“I would. He deserves more that punishment.” Ricky started leafing through the sorcerer’s journal. He paused and reread the page. “This is interesting. It appears that the University Botoyans have broken off from their Duterian brothers.”
Ricky sat down and examined the pages in more detail. “This happened right after Anna Benicci died. The University Botoyans wanted to dominate now that they fully controlled King Leon. The Botoyans in the Sun faction wanted to rule supreme.”
“We are fighting two enemies,” Pira said.
Noacci chuckled. “Just as we are uniting, they are splitting apart. That will only make each of them weaker.”
Ricky read on.
Noacci lifted a fistful of papers. “These letters are the sorcerer’s orders. They even include the names of the three men and the woman who are waiting to assassinate me in Applia. They are no less foolish than Pub.” The man shook his head.
“It’s more of the same,” Ricky said. “I’m going to my room to do some linking. If I were the Botoyans in the Tower, I’d be striking out now.”
He left Pira reading the journal while Noacci sifted through the rest of the sorcerer’s belongings.
Minnie’s link blossomed quickly.
Minnie? This is Ricky.
Who else would it be? Minnie said. You shout where Tobia whispers. Guess where we are?
In Paranty?
We are. Applia is behind us, but we haven’t crossed the River Lironi, yet. We didn’t have to fly away, so we are bringing as many personal belongings as we can. Tobia wasn’t too keen on carrying Pirie while flying, and I had to agree with him.
The situation deteriorated at the Rings?
Drastically. Kened has fled to Gruntal and is helping train sorcerers and fighters, Minnie said.
Did Healer Kokorak get out? Ricky asked.
She did, Minnie said. We are bringing her and her husband with us. It’s just another set of hands to change Pirie’s diapers, at least that is what Tobia keeps saying. We are becoming friends. Where are you?
I’m at Cistia, Duke Noacci’s ducal palace in Firali. We have had troubles of our own. Ricky told her about the assassination attempts and bringing down Sorcerer Rosanno. Continue on past Firali on the main road south. I may fly out with some authorization papers in the next day or two. It isn’t particularly safe to be out by yourself.
Don’t worry about us. Tobia has his sword, and the healer’s husband is a Gruntalian, just like my man. They are having a wonderful time keeping their swordsmanship up. On second thought, perhaps it might be nice to see you. Two Gruntalians can be wearing.
Ricky smiled. I’ll be out in two days, then.
His next linking was with Hemo. He asked if Rachael had been acting normal. Hemo said she was, as far as he could tell. Ricky told him about the assassination attempt and her brother’s complicity. They hadn’t made much progress on the magic-killing spell, and Hemo would be happy when Ricky returned.
Ricky walked back to the library where Pira and Noacci were engaged in conversation about a book that both had read. He listened in, but couldn’t add a thing since he had never touched the novel.
He let them drone on.
Pira noticed him. “The state dinner has been called off. Duke Noacci isn’t quite up to it. I agree with his decision.”
Noacci nodded. “I’m at a loss as to what I will do without Pub.”
“If you banish Pub somewhere out of Firali, I can furnish you with a replacement, if she passes a certain test,” Ricky said when their conversation began to lull.
“You can?” Noacci said.
“Pub’s sister, Rachael, if she is found trustworthy. As it happens, the Botoyans have driven out my Duterian friends. Minnie Dastoya is an extremely capable person. She will be the steward of Samira, if she accepts my offer.”
“Pirie will be joining us?”
“If you don’t mind having another Pira around.”
“Another Pira?”
“Minnie and Tobia’s little girl is named after the princess. They call her Pirie, and I don’t mind at all,” Pira said.
“Healer Kokorak is with them, as well.”
“The woman we met at the hospital? You will have a distinguished staff,” Pira said.
Ricky looked at the duke. “I intend to turn Samira into a sorcerer’s college and train sorcerous healers as well. That requires a hospital and a few Tower-level healers. Both Bespa and Kokorak are well-respected, or were, anyway.”
Noacci raised his eyebrows. “I think that is a worthy enterprise. You may have competition from the University.”
“There may not be much of a University sorcery department left after we are done with King Leon,” Ricky said. “The Vorrians will send sorcerers, and I already have three distinguished Vorrians at Samira. I won’t do much more than what I have done until the civil war is over,” Ricky said.
~
Ricky and Pira walked out the door leading from the ballroom onto a patio that bordered the gardens of the park.
“I could walk for days through this,” Pira said. “The castle at Sealio doesn’t compare to Cistia, at least not to me.”
She took Ricky’s hand. “What is that statue?”
Ricky saw that it was more like a sculpture, a huge golden object that stood on a pedestal. They both walked closer and beheld the back of a huge hand. The object was nearly twice as tall as Ricky.
“I know what’s on the other side,” Pira said. She pulled Ricky along with her, and they beheld a massive fist. That was all the sculpture was.
“The Curled Fist,” Ricky said.
“Indeed,” Pira said grinning. “I rather like it.” She made a frame with her fingers. “When you are duke you should have a painti
ng made. It is impressive, especially with Cistia Palace behind.”
“Do you think the duke put this up as a joke?”
Pira put the tip of her finger in her mouth and thought. “Not a joke, but a wry statement. It is unlike the duke’s exterior, but maybe he has an undiscovered inner self.”
“So he hides it out here?”
“He can see it from his rooms and smile, since he knows what is hidden on the other side is his cause,” Pira said.
Ricky shook his head. “I think the meaning is too deep for me.”
“You aren’t a subtle person, my lord.”
“And you are over-subtle, my princess.”
She beamed a smile at him. “And that’s how we are well-matched. Life would be so boring if we were the same.”
Ricky touched the golden surface. “The curled fist. Subtle from one side and striking from the other.”
~~~
Chapter Twenty-Seven
~
N othing looked out of place when Ricky got back. It seemed he had been gone longer than a few days. He found Rachael, Pub’s sister at her desk.
“I’m sorry about your brother.”
“Puboli? He was always a bit of a fool, competent, but still he didn’t always act in his own best interests.”
Ricky doubted what she said. From what Pub had told them, looking out for himself seemed to come first. He sang the compulsion counterspell and saw her sag in her chair.
“What was that, a spell?” She rubbed her head. “Oh,” she said in a small voice. “Pub was less harmless than I thought!” Rachael stood, but wavered on her feet and sat back down. “You must send troops to Amarine! King Leon is sending men in ships to take over Naparra!”
“What?”
“The duke’s and your assassinations don’t stop the uprising, but smashing Applia and Tossa will. A small, expert force should be landing any time to invade Firali.”
“Who told you about this?” Ricky asked.
Rachael jammed her eyes shut. “Pub. Another spy arrived in Firali with the orders. They didn’t come from the sorcerer.”
Ricky sighed. He didn’t know how Pub or Rachael would be able to escape this development. He shouted the alarm through his links to Hemo, Mirano, Pira, and Zaria Laccia of the battle sorcerers.
After buckling his weapons, Ricky grabbed Rachael and ran to Mattia’s training grounds, which bordered Samira castle on the west. Mattia ushered him into a training tent and grouped officers that Ricky had barely even noticed.
“Tell them what you just told me,” Ricky said to Rachael.
The woman looked down at the map. “I don’t know about tactics, but they were going to land at Amarine and rush overland.”
The woman looked blankly at the map. She had a single thing to do during the invasion. He supposed without Ricky, Pira, or Duke Noacci, the king’s soldiers could walk right into Firali. King Leon could hold his troops in the ducal capital, bottling you up from proceeding north and take Samira at his leisure, if he even needed to. Pub would undoubtedly do something similar at the palace.
“They can’t have as many battle sorcerers as we do,” Zaria said.
“But they can relieve you of your magic,” Ricky countered.
“Then we fight with our hands. Nemo has been putting us through his training program. Most of us knew which end of the sword was sharp before we arrived. Besides, most of us now have goose-down armor.”
“So that’s an advantage,” Mattia said. He ticked off others. They had supplies already and their forces could be supplied from the palace. “I’ll call the trained men that we’ve let go. By tomorrow morning we will have twice as many men under arms.”
It sounded right to Ricky. He looked at the map. “We can send troops around the Sealian army and cut off their supplies?”
Mattia nodded and smiled. “I did have that in mind. If the force is a thousand or less, we will crush them.”
“Not too hard,” Pira said. “They will remain Parantian subjects after we are victorious.”
“We will give as much as we get. Is that sufficient, princess?” Mattia said.
“It is.”
“Why don’t we task half the battle sorcerers to cut off the supply lines? I will lead them, and Zaria will command the sorcerers under your command,” Ricky said.
“Since speed is important, you intend to fly northwest?”
Ricky nodded. “We will still need insulated armor, especially helmets. I will return after sending out a few warnings.”
Ricky and Pira took Rachael back to the castle. “What are your intentions?” Ricky asked her as he let her sit behind her desk.
“I was under compulsion,” she said.
Ricky wondered if they could trust Pub’s sister and sang interrogation.
“Whom do you work for?”
“You, of course,” she said.
Ricky ground his teeth at the poor question.
“Are the Sealian troops really invading Firali, or are they coming straight here?”
Rachael struggled with an answer. He realized the compulsion was a ruse.
“Are they heading directly to Firali?”
“No,” she said.
“Are they coming to Samira via Vitacci?”
She nodded her head, still visibly fighting the spell.
Ricky contacted Zaria. Rachael was giving us poor information. She was put under compulsion as a ruse. The royal troops are heading directly for Samira from Vitacci. Prepare to defend the castle. Have your sorcerers fly to the south and the north as well as the west and locate the Sealians. They may be a few hours march from here. Have Mattia call everyone to arms.
I wondered about her story. This sounds much more likely, Zaria said. I am going.
“Who is the direct contact with Sealio, Pub or you?”
Rachael’s face twisted while Ricky repeated the question.
“I am. Rosanno operated under my orders.”
“And your reward?”
“Lands and a title in a new domain in the east. Pub and I have always been under the thumb of Dino. This was an opportunity to change that.”
Ricky was surprised at the anger, hate, and emotion in her voice.
“Are other attacks going to take place?” Ricky said.
“I’m only told what I need to be told.”
“No longer,” Ricky said. He cut the flow to her brain and watched her collapse in the chair.
“The duke! You killed his childhood friend,” Pira said.
“Noacci should do the same to Pub and maybe his wife, too. I didn’t ask Pub enough questions. This invasion wasn’t planned yesterday. Rachael and her superiors must have begun planning for this invasion before we ever left for Fisttia. I knew there had to be someone in Firali coordinating all this. I would guess Rachael had asked to personally come down here when we asked.”
“And we were played well.”
Ricky curled his fist and looked at it. “Not well enough. We have an army to neutralize. While I am gone, get those who live in the cottages inside the castle. The Sealians could have surrounded us by now. I’ve got to go. Nania should be able to help.” He left Pira looking at Rachael’s body.
He passed Eddo on the way out. “Pira is your boss, again. She has some housecleaning for you,” Ricky said to a perplexed steward.
After walking under the gate, Ricky paused to link to Bocca, Duke Noacci’s sorcerer. He let the man know of the invasion and that they might be expecting one of their own soon.
I had to interrogate Rachael and found her to be the one pulling Pub’s strings. Tell the duke he won’t have to worry about taking care of her. Ricky said.
Duke Noacci confided that he had worried about her being involved with her brother, but he thought you’d know how to take care of it. I’ll let him know and get our forces alerted, Bocca said.
Watch out for anti-magic spells. Be careful while you fly.
We will. Please keep us apprised.
I’ll do that,
Ricky said as he cut the link off.
His next link was to Baron Mansali.
Ricky? You’ll have to wait for me to contact you. King Leon has sent boats full of soldiers up the Lironi. We are assembling our troops, now.
Have the sorcerers fly far above the boats and drop rocks. Don’t have them go low or an enemy sorcerer might stop their magic, Ricky said.
I understand. Thank you for the suggestion and the warning, Baron Mansali said as he cut off the link.
Ricky told Mattia about the other attacks.
“I don’t know if this is a major attack or if King Leon is probing our defenses. It doesn’t matter. I think you better get into the air to find where I can send my troops,” Mattia said.
Zaria showed up with twenty battle sorcerers dressed in poofy armor. “I have a set for you.”
Ricky knew how important the armor was and donned his own.
“We will split up,” Ricky said, down on one knee. He took his wand and drew a rough map to assign teams of three to look for soldiers. “I will take your fastest flyer with me. I can link with Zaria and Hemo, so I won’t need a sorcerer to run messages.”
They took off. Ricky took the route directly west. He flew high into the air and waited for his companion to catch up, and then he sped towards Vittaci. The army still needed a supply line, so since they were the fastest team, they would look for groups of wagons heading east from the port.
He quickly ran into a bank of low clouds. The low ceiling would make locating the Sealians more perilous because the scouts might have to fly beneath the overcast. Since Ricky was heading directly for Vittaci, he could fly above and navigate by the sun.
The dark-blue line of the ocean appeared on the horizon, and they soon hovered above the port. The headwind seemed to be pushing the clouds away from the coast, revealing six ships standing off the port. The Sealians had indeed landed. They had to gently head into the wind to maintain their position while both of them scanned the land just east of the port.
“There,” the sorcerer said.
Ricky noticed a line of three wagons rolling southeast, just heading into a cloudbank. “Although they shouldn’t have a sorcerer with them, let’s get low enough to see if the drivers are wearing uniforms.”