Shadow & Flame

by Mindee Arnett

  Corwin’s eyes automatically went to Kate, dreading her reaction. She sat rigid in her chair, carefully not looking at him, not looking at anyone. He opened his mouth to respond, but again Valora beat him to it.

  “By Rimish law, the union is not legal or binding,” she said, matter-of-fact.

  “How can you be certain?” Jiro said, eyes narrowed.

  Valora drew a deep breath, puffing out her chest. For a moment she looked like the high priestess Corwin remembered. “Magnar Fane calls himself a god, and as such, he doesn’t recognize any god save himself.” She turned her eyes to Corwin. “Is that not true, your highness? Were there any priests or priestesses present for your union?”

  “No, Magnar performed the ceremony himself.”

  A tight, quick smile passed over Valora’s face. “Then in the eyes of the true gods, you remain unwed. The Sevan princess will have no claim on Rime’s throne.”

  Corwin exhaled, unaware that he’d been holding his breath. He nodded, and with a glance at Kate, said, “Even if that weren’t the case, the marriage was never consummated.” He hoped to see relief pass over her expression at this revelation, but it remained unchanged.

  “It is undeniable then,” Valora said, “on all fronts.”

  Corwin forced his gaze to Yaron. “Does that answer satisfy?”

  The man slowly rose to his feet and bowed toward Corwin. “The magists will stand with you as well.” He motioned toward the others. “We will stand side by side with wilders and reclaim what is ours from Sevan hands.”

  Jiro openly scoffed at this proclamation. “And how long will this unity last? What will happen once Seva is gone? Will wilders be hunted once more? Condemned to either die or flee?”

  Corwin weighed his answer carefully. “No, not so long as it is up to me. Wilders and magists will be treated equally. Both equally free and all of us Rimish.”

  “And what if Edwin is made king, once the uror is finally complete?”

  “That question isn’t fair, Jiro, and you know it,” Kate said. “Prince Corwin can’t predict the future, but if he is made king, he will do as he’s said. He risked his life to free the wilders taken by the Inquisition.”

  Her support stunned Corwin, and made something hot burn behind his eyes. He watched Jiro carefully, wondering what he would do.

  The pyrist rolled his eyes, then grudgingly got to his feet. “Very well then. What remains of the Rising will stand with you as well. May the gods help us all.”

  Despite Jiro’s doubt, hope filled Corwin’s lungs, expanding his chest until he thought it would burst. They were united now, magist and wilder and nonmagic together for the very first time. We are Rime, he thought, and the uror mark on his palm tingled in response. That was what it meant to be king—uniting disparate people together, not breaking them apart as his brother had done.

  “Thank you all,” Corwin said, wishing he had a cup of wine to raise to them. “Let us celebrate our unity today, for tomorrow we fight.”

  22

  Kate

  KATE PEERED THROUGH THE THIN, white-barked trees at the battlements that surrounded the Hellgate, memories swirling through her head. It seemed a lifetime ago since she’d first seen this place, the day she’d been taken prisoner by Vikas at the behest of Rendborne. The events of that day were seared into her brain as if by a brand. The way Rendborne had forced her to assault Signe’s mind for the secret to the black powder by killing Bonner’s father and threatening to do the same to him. How during the fighting, after Corwin’s arrival with the Rising to rescue them, she’d killed Vikas, and Corwin had faced Rendborne, driving him off long enough for them to escape.

  Yet despite the vividness of the memories, the place before her seemed altogether new. Back then the structures had appeared ancient, the stone crumbling and broken through in places. Now the battlements were in perfect order, the walls smooth and solid, as if they’d only just been built.

  Wilder magic. It seemed Rendborne had been putting Gavril’s slave army to good use. Or not so good, Kate mused, wishing there was an easier way in. They’d been in the Wandering Woods the last three days, watching the comings and goings around the Hellgate from the trees, where Xia, an earthist with a strong affinity for plant life, had constructed elevated platforms and intricate walkways by drawing the branches and boughs together. It had taken her nearly a day to do it and an entire satchel full of magestones enchanted with a dampening spell to hide the magic. They couldn’t be certain how many magists were working with Rendborne now, or if Rendborne himself would able to detect the magic. It was a lot of magestones to lose, but they couldn’t risk discovery.

  We’re already risking too much as it is. Kate cast a furtive glance at Corwin. He stood crouched in the brush next to her, gaze fixed on the wall ahead and his face hidden behind a magestone mask. They were all wearing them for this mission, disguises to make them appear like Sevan soldiers. Kate had tried to convince Corwin to stay behind, afraid that Gavril would ensnare him again the moment he drew near, but he insisted on coming, and she didn’t press the issue. After what had happened between them, she no longer knew where she stood, if Corwin cared what she thought anymore or if his heart longed for another.

  During the journey here they’d barely spoken, avoiding one another at every turn, it seemed. Even now, in such close proximity, there might as well have been an ocean between them. She longed to touch him, to grasp hold of what once had been and make it so again. She just didn’t know how.

  As if sensing her gaze, Corwin turned toward her. “What do you think?”

  Kate focused her attention on the wall once more, reaching out with her sway to see who was waiting behind it. She sensed several minds beyond there, but they remained distant enough not to be of concern. “The path is clear.”

  He nodded, then gestured to Bonner, who stood on the other side of him. Kate clenched her teeth, willing her nerves to settle as Bonner stepped out from the brush into the open area just beyond the wall. He was not the man he’d been before the Mistfold. She wasn’t even sure she could call him a friend anymore. Something had changed him in Seva, even worse than the death of his father. She remembered the hours he’d spent making his revolvers long ago, dozens of designs before he’d finally come upon one that worked. He’d done it for her, he claimed, to keep her safe from the nightdrakes. Now she seemed barely a passing concern to him. She missed his care more than she dared admit, especially now.

  She missed her revolver, too. She felt the absence of its weight at her hip. Without Signe and her black powder, the weapon had been rendered useless.

  Maybe she’s in there still, Kate thought, her gaze tracking Bonner’s movements as he approached the wall. But she didn’t put much hope in it. Over and over again she’d swept her magic as far as it would go, searching for Signe, but felt nothing. Kate couldn’t say for sure she wasn’t there; for some reason, her magic faltered whenever she turned her mind to the center of the fortress, where the Hellgate itself cut deep into the earth. It would be working fine and strong one moment and then fade the next, as if she’d suddenly stepped into a ream of fog. The blind spot made her uneasy, but it wasn’t enough to stop her from venturing inside, searching for Signe and the Hellsteel both.

  Bonner placed his right hand against the wall. The other he raised to his lips, and he spoke the word of invocation on the magestone in his palm, activating the dampening spell. A faint shimmer spread over his hand, then swept outward, the only sign of the spell working. No wilder or magist would be able to sense the magic he was about to do next, but they could still hear it as Bonner pulled pieces of the wall apart to form a makeshift ladder.

  Kate concentrated her sway, on the alert for anyone approaching. If they came, she would send them away with a thought. Or kill them, if she had to. Whatever it took to accomplish what they were set to do today. Now more than ever, she must be decisive.

  Despite the mechanics of the magic Bonner worked, the process was surprisingly quiet, just a
few cracks and splinters, like the sound of ice sliding off a roof. Still, Kate braced, expecting an alarm to be raised. A flock of birds took flight above them, and she started. But nothing else happened, and she sensed no minds drawing nearer.

  “Let’s go,” she whispered to Corwin. He gestured behind him, where Dal and Yarin waited. The magist had volunteered for the mission, a boon Kate had not expected. He’d been elected leader of the Norgard magists because he was the most powerful among them, and his skill would be invaluable to the mission. Harue had come as well, but she was back at the base camp with Wen, Xia, and Valora, trying to replenish as much of their stock of magestones as they could. It seemed the former high priestess had a great many ideas for new spells as well, ones she claimed had existed hundreds of years ago and were remembered now only in the priesthood’s secret archives. Harue had insisted on keeping the priestess by her side ever since.

  Kate went up the ladder first, ready to use her sway if anyone spotted her. She climbed quickly, trying to move without noise, a difficult task in the purloined Sevan armor she wore. Once at the top, she slid over the edge of the wall and dropped down. To her relief, there was no one in sight. Kate motioned for the others to follow, and moments later, they made their way toward the gatehouse at the front of the battlements. As they drew near, one of the Sevan guards stepped out to question them.

  Kate plunged into his mind. You know us. We belong here. Let us go about our business. For half a second, she felt his mind resist, and panic clutched at her thoughts. Rendborne had told Gavril that day that he’d stolen her blood to protect them from the Hellsteel, but it occurred to her now maybe she’d heard it wrong and that he was using it to protect his followers from her sway instead. But a second later, the man’s expression went blank, and he waved them through.

  Bonner took the lead now, heading down the steps and out of the gatehouse onto the bailey. Of all of them, he was the most believable as a Sevan soldier. His armor fit perfectly, each dip and crevice molded to his body. It was the same armor he’d been wearing when he escaped, but with the spear emblem removed from the breastplate. He also spoke perfect Sevan, thanks to his time in the Mistfold.

  The others fell into step behind him, each doing their best to mimic his movements. Rows and rows of white canvas tents had been erected all across the bailey. The sight alarmed Kate. There must be far more soldiers here than they thought. But then she realized it was so much worse than that. A woman clad in Sevan armor sat in front of one of the tents. That was a bad sign since the Godking did not permit women to fight in his army—unless they were a wilder or magist. The woman raised a pipe to her mouth and lit it with a wave of her hand. A pyrist. Kate’s nerves prickled. Their entire mission just became all the more dangerous. A fight against Sevan soldiers they might win—wilders would be a different story entirely.

  Disguising her fear, Kate followed after Bonner, trying to look like she belonged here. Twice more they were questioned by other soldiers, and twice more Kate turned them away with her sway. Once inside the fortress, there were far fewer soldiers about, making it harder to blend in but with fewer eyes around to notice. The building was simply constructed, a single outer hallway with several small rooms connected to it, surrounding the main chamber that housed the Hellgate itself. Kate did another survey with her sway, sensing no one in the immediate vicinity of the hallway. But as before, the rest of the area remained clouded to her.

  “Why would Magnar keep the wilders here?” Kate said once they were inside.

  A muscle tensed in Bonner’s jaw as he shook his head. “I don’t know, but we need to be careful.”

  “Hooray for understatement.” Dal made a face. “So what now?”

  “We split up.” Bonner motioned down both sides of the hallway. “Corwin and Yaron come with me. Dal, you go with Kate. This passage should connect on the other side. Check every room and meet up in the back.”

  It was a good pairing. Kate could keep Dal safe with her sway—assuming she could still use it the farther in they went—and Bonner could help the others avoid notice with his knowledge. Still, the idea of separating made her uneasy, despite the fact that they would draw less attention apart and cover more ground quickly. The objective was simple: find and capture one of the Furen Mag for questioning. There must be a reason Rendborne needed their help in mining the Hellsteel. All the better if that person was Synnove Leth—they could question her and find Signe in one fell swoop.

  “We’ll head that way.” Kate pointed to the right where, from here, she could see a door to the room Rendborne had used as a private chamber the last time she’d been here. It was the same room where he’d killed Bonner’s father—best that she take this direction. “See you soon.” Turning to go, Kate felt someone touch her hand. She glanced back to find Corwin standing close to her.

  “Be careful,” he said, his gaze fierce as he locked eyes with her—for the first time in days.

  Her throat tightened, and she could only nod in answer. Then they were walking away. Kate went first, with Dal trailing a few steps behind. She passed by the first chamber, after a quick glance to see it was indeed as empty as it felt, the only residents cobwebs and spiders. They reached Rendborne’s old chamber next, but it too was empty.

  They moved on. With each step, Kate sensed the strange fog growing stronger. The feeling unsettled her. It wasn’t that she was cut off from her magic, more that some force was smothering it, a sensation like trying to walk in deep mud or run with a scarf tied around her nose and mouth.

  “Are you okay?” Dal whispered from behind her.

  Kate shushed him with an upraised hand, spotting a pair of soldiers ahead, standing guard in front of a locked door.

  “What goes here?” the one nearest said as they came into view.

  Kate knew that thanks to the magestone disguise she appeared to be a Sevan male, and yet the soldier looked at her with suspicion in his gaze, as if he could see right through it. She hurried toward the soldiers, trying to get close enough for her sway to be effective.

  Both guards raised their spears. “Answer me now. Who are you? What are you doing here?”

  Kate stretched out with her sway, just barely reaching them. “We’ve been sent to relieve you,” she said, concentrating with all her might. Feeling their resistance, she pressed harder. “Go outside, into the forest, and take your ease until nightfall.”

  After a moment, the men’s eyes glazed over. Lowering their weapons, they turned and departed without another word.

  “That was close,” Dal said. “I’m all about a good thrill, Kate, but now might not be the best time to mess with me.”

  “There’s some kind of magic at work here. It’s limiting my powers.”

  Dal blinked. “You’re just telling me now?”

  “I didn’t know what would happen. Besides, we’re fine. Now shut up while I figure out who’s behind this door.” It had to be someone important. Kate pressed her hand to the wood and invoked her sway. She sensed the person inside, but it was like seeing a shadow move in the darkness, too indistinct to identify.

  “Well,” Dal said. “Who is it?”

  “I can’t tell.” Kate drew the sword from the sheath at her side, the gesture awkward after carrying it on her back for so long. “Open the door.”

  With a bemused huff, Dal reached into the satchel tied at his waist for a magestone, one designed to undo locks. He spoke the word of invocation and the lock fell away a moment later. Kate pushed open the door with one hand and stepped inside, braced for anything. Even still, shock struck her as her gaze fell on the person in the room.

  “Signe!” Dal pushed Kate aside as he rushed in.

  She was sitting at a workbench in the back of the large space, and shot up as they entered, knocking her chair over. Dal reached her before she could take another step, then she was in his arms, legs dangling as he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his head and kissed him back. Watching them, a flush spread up Kate’s neck, jealousy an
d bitterness and want mingling inside her like combustible elements. This was how it should’ve been for her and Corwin. Instead, they’d been pushed even further apart.

  Dal set Signe down at last, and she turned to embrace Kate. “I knew you’d come.”

  “I’m glad you’re all right.” Breaking away, Kate glanced around the room at the bowls of ingredients spread across the table and the barrel full of black powder on the floor beside it. She turned back to Signe in alarm. “How much have you made already?”

  Signe swallowed, guilt shining in her eyes. “Too much. I had no choice.”

  “Was it Gavril?” Kate asked, anger constricting her chest.

  “Yes.” Signe’s voice hitched, and she visibly trembled.

  Dal touched her arm. “Have they found the Hellsteel?”

  Signe nodded, and sudden tears arose in her eyes. “Yesterday.”

  “Sig!” Dal drew her back into his arms, alarm in his voice. Kate felt it, too. Signe did not cry. Not for anything. But now, she let out a deep, tremulous sob against Dal’s chest. “He killed her. Rendborne killed my mother the moment she handed him that wretched metal.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Dal said, stroking her back now.

  “It’s my fault. Rendborne promised to let us go once she found it. When Mother confronted him, though, he said she could leave, but not me. She refused, and that’s when he killed her.”

  You are too valuable to let go, Kate thought, wishing for a different truth for her friend. But revolvers powered by Signe’s black powder turned ordinary soldiers into a force as formidable as wilders and magists. Rendborne would never give up such power. Neither would Magnar, if he knew; there was no telling what Rendborne might or might not share with the Godking. Corwin’s suspicions about his motives were well founded.

  Kate touched Signe’s shoulder. “I’m sorry as well, but we will make Rendborne pay. We just need the Hellsteel to do it. It’s the only thing that can kill him.”