Storm of Chaos

by Andy Peloquin

  Evren refused to be cowed. “Without me, you’d all be dead, and you’d never have him. I’m damned well going to be there to see the look on his face when he realizes that he’s buggered good and proper.”

  Blackfinger’s face took on a decidedly peaked hue.

  “Yep, that’s the look!” Evren laughed. “But it’ll be way better to see it in the light of the palace. All those golden lamps will really emphasize the contours of his face, make that fear really pop, like a—”

  “Fine!” Issa threw up her hands. “You can come, if it’ll stop you from talking.”

  Evren grinned. “Deal.”

  Issa led the way as they hurried through the back streets of the Keeper’s Tier. The towering mansions of the Dhukari provided ample cover for their movements, and it proved a simple task to cling to the shadows of the side lanes. Slowly, the seven towering spires of the Hall of the Beyond fell away behind them and the solid stone fortress of the Citadel of Stone loomed tall in their vision.

  Evren had to admit it was an impressively menacing fortress. The vast stronghold had been carved from the golden sandstone of the mountain, with towers, turrets, and a parapet ringing the upper heights. A huge gate of solid bloodwood—the densest, sturdiest lumber on Einan—barred their way.

  “Open up!” Issa shouted as they rushed toward the gate.

  A slot in the gate opened and a pair of eyes peered out. “Issa?” came the question from within.

  “Hykos!” Relief echoed in Issa’s voice. “Let us in. We need to get to Lady Callista at once!”

  Moments later, the postern gate flew open and Issa’s Archateros appeared in the doorway, ushering them in.

  “What in the fiery hell are you doing on gate duty, Hykos?” Issa asked as she hurried through the gate.

  “All the higher-ranked Blades have been summoned by the Elders,” Hykos replied. His face darkened. “The situation in the city…it’s bad, Issa.”

  “We know.” Issa nodded. “We were just on the Cultivator’s Tier.”

  “What?” Hykos’ eyes widened. “But…how? There’s no way you could have—”

  Issa cut him off with a shake of her head. “I’ll tell you another time, I promise. But now I need to get him to Lady Callista.” She thrust a finger at the man slung over Etai’s shoulder.

  Hykos’ jaw muscles worked and worry darkened his eyes, but he nodded. “Go.”

  Evren smiled. Yep, he’s definitely got a thing for her.

  “Thank you, Hykos.” Issa gave the Blade a warm smile, then hurried deeper into the Citadel.

  Evren followed on her heels, Etai and the Indomitables in their wake. His eyes roamed the interior of the stronghold—not that the bare stone floors, unadorned walls, and sparsely furnished halls gave him much to look at. The entire Citadel reeked of military practicality.

  They crossed what appeared to be a training yard and hurried to the north wing of the fortress, heading toward a stone tunnel that cut through the sandstone wall surrounding the palace. The moment they emerged from the passage, they barreled straight into a company of Indomitables on guard.

  “Halt!” shouted the Protector leading the soldiers. All five leveled khopeshes at the intruders. “State your—”

  “I am Issa of the Keeper’s Blades.” Issa stalked toward the man, a force of unrelenting determination. “I act on the commands of Lady Callista herself. Stand in my way or slow me down and, by the Seven Faces, you will regret it.”

  She towered a hand’s breadth over the Protector and even though she wore simple clothes, she seemed to loom over his heavily-armored figure. For an instant, she reminded Evren of the way Lady Callista dominated any room she entered.

  The intensity of her voice seemed to throw the Indomitable officer off-guard. His jaw dropped and he could find no words for a long moment.

  Finally, he stammered. “I-I will accompany you.”

  Issa said nothing, simply kept striding down the hall. It was clear she knew her way around these halls, and Evren contented himself to remain in her shadow. He had no desire to draw attention to himself and if Issa could storm her way into Lady Callista’s presence, it got them all what they wanted.

  The Indomitables fell in around them, a few casting wary glances at the plain-clothed Indomitables, Etai, and the bound, gagged man over her shoulder. Yet despite the suspicion in their eyes, they said nothing. Like all soldiers, they followed the lead of their officer and preferred to let him sort out this mess. They would be ready to fight if it turned out Issa and the others were enemies, but the Protector would face Lady Callista’s wrath.

  Issa marched down an adjoining corridor, and Evren found himself face to face with a cluster of angry-looking Indomitables milling around a solid wooden door. Two Keeper’s Blades barred their way, much to the infuriation of the soldiers. Two more black-armored figures farther down the hall stood guard over a bound, kneeling Secret Keeper—one Evren didn’t recognize.

  What in the fiery hell happened?

  He got his answer a moment later. The Keeper’s Blades seemed to recognize Issa, for they made way for her to enter—earning a chorus of angry protests from the Indomitables clustered around the doorway.

  Evren followed Issa into what had to be Lady Callista’s office. He drank in the scroll and book-laden shelves, the heavy wooden desk with its plush armchair, and the Lady of Blades herself. Lady Callista leaned against the table, arms folded, a frown twisting her face. Kodyn and Aisha stood before her—what brings them here?—with a third figure in gold-and-black robes slumped unconscious at their feet.

  Lady Callista’s eyes brightened at the sight of Issa, but her frown deepened at the sight of the bound, gagged man on Etai’s shoulders.

  Evren stepped forward and swept an expansive gesture toward the man. “Lady Callista Vinaus, might I present the one and only Blackfinger? Leader of the Syndicate, half-brother to our dearly departed Councilor Angrak, and...” He paused for dramatic effect. “…co-conspirator and ally of the Keeper’s Council in their treasonous theft and export of shalanite.”

  Etai dropped the man in front of Lady Callista, and Blackfinger’s face went pale as he met the Lady of Blades’ blazing eyes.

  A hard, cold smile broadened Lady Callista’s face. “Yes,” she growled, “this will do nicely.” She gripped Blackfinger’s chin in her strong hand. “The Keeper’s Council can’t save you now.”

  One look at the Syndicate leader’s terrified expression told Evren everything. Blackfinger would sing like a nightingale, and his tune would give the Lady of Blades what she needed to put an end to the Necroseti’s plans to rule Shalandra.

  Chapter Forty

  “Well done.” Lady Callista rubbed her hands together as two pairs of heavy-armored Keeper’s Blades hauled the two prisoners from her office. “You’ve just given us the weapon of the Council’s destruction.”

  Aisha grinned. “I’ll say!” After hearing of Evren and Issa’s encounters on the Cultivator’s Tier and sharing their own discoveries, they’d just found two connections to the Necroseti and the Keeper’s Council. “There’s no way they’re wiggling off the hook this time.”

  “And what of the Earaqi?” Worry lined Issa’s face. “If the Ybrazhe and Hallar’s Warriors are behind it—”

  Lady Callista raised a hand. “I will send orders to the Elders of the Blade and the Indomitable Executors in charge of the situation to ensure that they know the full scope of the matter.” She shook her head. “I do not desire the deaths of the Earaqi any more than you do. The Blades and Indomitables will root out the true culprits.”

  Issa straightened, the tension draining from her shoulders. “Thank you, Lady Callista.”

  “As for the three of you,” the Lady of Blades turned to face Evren, Aisha, and Kodyn, “once again, you’ve proven yourselves of immense value to Shalandra. We might never have known the truth about the Azure Rot or Aterallis’ innocence without you.”

  Kodyn, Aisha, and Evren exchanged grins.

 
; “The Secret Keepers are already hard at work crafting an antidote to spread to the Mahjuri and Kabili,” Aisha said.

  Kodyn nodded. “With the help of the Ministrants from the Sanctuary and the Bloody Minstrel’s Trouveres, they should have the situation under control soon.”

  The faces of the Kish’aa flashed through Aisha’s mind. Too late for some. Countless innocents had died at the hands of those responsible for crafting the poison. Yet she could at least take comfort in the knowledge that she had helped to lay some of the spirits of the murdered to rest. She had given them the vengeance and justice they craved—in return, they had saved Kodyn’s life.

  She still couldn’t believe what had happened. The urgency of their situation had tamped down the emotions that surged through her, but she still shuddered at the memory of his cold, clammy hands and pale skin. He’d lain so still and silent—she had come too close to losing him.

  “But the fact that it spread so much is symptomatic of just how insidious the Council’s plan truly is.” Lady Callista’s face darkened. “They managed to pull it all off beneath our attention, all the while strolling free in the palace and around the Keeper’s Tier as if their hands were clean of so much death and treachery. The hunt for the Gatherers has consumed our attention so fully—likely one more plot by Madani and his toadies to keep us looking one way while they manipulate things behind the scenes elsewhere.” She clenched a fist, anger flaring bright in her kohl-rimmed eyes. “Keeper curse them!”

  “Why?” Puzzlement twisted Issa’s face into a frown. “I can understand why they’d use the Ybrazhe to rile up the people against the Pharus, but why poison the very Wellsprings they drink from? They’d end up just as dead as everyone else in Shalandra.”

  “No, they wouldn’t.” Lady Callista shook her head. “They’ve been stockpiling water for months.”

  Aisha exchanged shocked glances with Kodyn and Evren.

  “What?” Issa’s eyebrows shot up.

  “Reports from the Indomitables guarding the Upper Wellspring have included mention of increased water consumption among the Necroseti.” Lady Callista scowled. “I thought nothing of it, but it seems the Keeper’s Priests were preparing for just this eventuality. They have at least a week’s worth of potable drinking water stored in the Hall of the Beyond—likely more than enough to keep them supplied until long after this foul poison is cleansed from the Wellsprings.”

  Shadows flashed in the eyes of all in the room. Kodyn, in particular, seemed most affected by the statement. He glanced down at his simple tunic and leather armor, still damp with the clear-colored poison. When his eyes fixed on Aisha, there was a hint of awestruck wonder written there. Almost as if his mind refused to believe the unassailable truth of what she’d done to save him.

  No, not what I did. What the Kish’aa did through me. Thimara had cleansed the poison—Aisha had just been the vessel to harness the spirits’ power. Thanks to the strange Serenii Dy’nashia, he had been spared an agonizing death.

  The sound of her name snapped Aisha from her thoughts.

  Lady Callista’s eyes fixed on her. “Kodyn and Aisha, while I can understand the urgency of your situation, in the future, I’d appreciate it if you refrained from attacking my Indomitables.”

  Kodyn ducked his head, a blush rising to his cheeks.

  “Your Secret Keeper companion has already been…escorted back to the Temple of Whispers.” A small smile touched her lips. “Unharmed, of course.”

  “Thank you, Lady Callista,” Aisha said, relieved. “Without the help of Desenne and the rest of the Secret Keepers, we never would have stopped the poison from contaminating the Heartspring.”

  Lady Callista nodded. “Suroth always insisted that his people were skilled and trustworthy. He will be missed, but I’m glad to hear that his successor is equally capable.”

  “Speaking of successor, will Ennolar take Suroth’s place on the Council?” Curiosity burned in Kodyn’s eyes. “And will Madani and his toadies allow it? After what they tried to do with Angrak—”

  “It’s precisely because of Angrak that I can be certain Ennolar’s appointment will be met without protest.” Lady Callista’s voice was hard, determined, and her fists clenched tight by her side. “The Keeper’s Council’s plan to elect Angrak fell apart the moment he was arrested on suspicion of treason. They’ve had a busy last few days scrambling to cover their arses and make certain there was nothing that could tie them to Angrak’s thefts.” The frown returned, deepening the tired lines around her mouth. “All that evidence against Angrak means nothing—they simply disavowed it as the actions of a rogue priest, even going so far as to provide their own proof to indicate that Angrak might have been in league with foreign powers, the Gatherers, hells, even Kharna himself.”

  Aisha saw the knowing looks Evren and Kodyn exchanged. I very much doubt that. She, too, knew the truth of the Serenii that the world mistakenly called the Great Destroyer.

  “But the mess with Angrak has put them in a delicate position,” Lady Callista continued, “so they have been treading carefully.”

  Issa’s lip curled into a snarl. “Convicting an innocent man to death based on falsified evidence isn’t exactly careful.”

  The Blade’s vehement reaction surprised Aisha. What’s that about? She’d heard Aterallis speak—he’d preached peace and the hope of a better afterlife. Yet the way Issa’s eyes flashed indicated a deep-rooted anger at the man’s death.

  “You’re right.” Lady Callista’s expression held a fraction of Issa’s anger, tempered with a measure of remorseful resignation. “Aterallis didn’t deserve his fate. And I wish I had known the truth before I ordered you to carry out the Council’s command.”

  “Damned Necroseti!” Issa growled. “Sentencing him to death, knowing it would pour fuel on the fire so the Ybrazhe and Hallar’s Warriors can whip them into a frenzy.”

  Lady Callista nodded. “But thanks to the four of you, we know the truth of the situation. The Elders of the Blade and the Indomitables have already begun attempting to restore order with minimal violence.” Exhaustion darkened the circles beneath her eyes. “Yet we have a long way to go before peace will be reestablished.”

  Aisha recognized that look—the burden of authority weighed heavy on her, threatening to overwhelm her.

  Long seconds passed before the Lady of Blades shrugged it off. “But, in the meantime, I suggest you three return to your companions in the Temple of Whispers. A storm of chaos looms on the horizon. The instability may very well worsen before it gets better. The safety of the Secret Keepers’ protection may be your best choice to weather the tempest.” She turned to Issa. “As for you, Prototopoi, your training is not yet complete. Archateros Hykos awaits you in the Citadel of Stone to continue your lessons. The Anointing of the Blades is just ten days off. I expect you to be fully prepared when the time comes to receive the Long Keeper’s blessing.”

  Issa stiffened, her expression growing tense. “Yes, Lady Callista.”

  “Before we go,” Kodyn said, “I’d like to ask a favor.”

  Aisha shot a curious glance at the Hawk. What’s that about? He hadn’t mentioned any request to her.

  Lady Callista arched an eyebrow. “You may ask.” Her voice held a wary edge.

  Kodyn shot Evren a meaningful glance. “Suroth spoke a great deal about the Vault of Ancients. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to see it.” A wry smile tugged at his lips. “After all, we’re already here. And given what’s going on in the city, I’m not sure when we’ll get another chance to visit.”

  Aisha hid a surprised smile. Always the plotter, just like his mother. He had changed a great deal in the last few weeks. Upon his shoulders weighed the burden of guilt over Suroth’s death. He had developed a fierce desire to protect Briana and the rest of them, along with a sense of duty to the people of Shalandra. He had grown into a mature, responsible young man over the course of their journey.

  Yet it felt good to know that some things neve
r changed. Despite the dangers that surrounded them, the urgency of the threats they faced, he hadn’t lost sight of the Undertaking that had brought him to Shalandra in the first place.

  “The Vault of Ancients?” Lady Callista’s brow furrowed. “I fear you will be sorely disappointed. The vault door will open for no one save the Arch-Guardian. And with Suroth gone…” She shrugged. “There is little to see.”

  It seemed Suroth hadn’t told even Lady Callista the truth of the Vault of Ancients. The Arch-Guardian had no control over the vault—the Serenii that designed it had ensured it only opened four times a year.

  “Oh, I didn’t know that.” Kodyn’s eyes went wide. “But if it’s all the same, I’d at least like to see it.” He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Is it true that it was made by the Serenii?”

  Aisha stifled a grin. Kodyn played the innocent with consummate skill. Lady Callista needn’t know how much they had uncovered about the Vault of Ancients.

  The Lady of Blades smiled. “It is.” She hesitated a moment, then gave a dismissive wave. “Very well. After all you’ve done for me and Shalandra, this is one favor that will cost me nothing to grant.”

  If only you knew the half of it, Aisha thought, but didn’t say. Kodyn had come to Shalandra to steal the Crown of the Pharus—not remove it from the vault, simply to prove that he could steal it. Evren, however, intended to haul away the Blade of Hallar, the weapon said to have belonged to Shalandra’s founder. It turned out the blade could very well be an ancient Serenii-forged weapon that could sustain Kharna in his fight against the Devourer of Worlds. Aisha and Kodyn had promised to help him. After that, she very much doubted Lady Callista would be so gracious and obliging.

  That thought filled Aisha with sorrow. She’d spent the last few years living in the darkness of the Night Guild—not only the shadows of the underground tunnels, but the gloom of her life of crime and violence. She had told herself it was for the betterment of Praamis, primarily the prostitutes and fancy-ticklers she and her fellow apprentices of House Phoenix protected. Yet, at the end of the day, it was simply lawlessness by another name.