I cancelled the lightspell, then turned to lead the way further up the corridor. “Come on,” I said. “I think he’s going to go high.”
The darkness enshrouded us again as we inched past the statue. There were others, a small army of statues lurking in the darkness. We glanced at the first two, then ignored the rest as the corridor suddenly widened into a darkened chamber. I glanced at Alana, motioning for her to be ready as I cast another lightspell. The shadows didn’t part easily - they felt like living things - but, as the light grew brighter, we saw paintings on the walls. I studied the nearest as we looked around. It showed a magician locked in battle with monsters, like the statues we’d passed in the corridor. It looked as though the magician was losing.
Alana muttered an oath. “Look!”
I followed her gaze. Adam Mortimer, the student who thought he could compete on his own, was standing in the centre of the room, frozen in stasis. His armband was held in his hand. I swore under my breath - I supposed Father would forgive me for swearing, under the circumstances - as I inched forward. Adam was competition, and I was impressed he’d managed to get into the castle alone, but ... Francis had to have gotten the drop on him. And then ... I groaned, inwardly. Francis had inched one step closer to winning, simply by eliminating one person. I glanced from side to side, wondering what had happened to the other two teams. They could be anywhere. Perhaps it had been a mistake not to look for Alana’s missing teammates. If they remained ... wherever they were ... they might count as eliminated if the rest of us were eliminated too.
“Idiot,” Alana said. She made a face at Adam’s frozen form. “You know he tried to ask me out, once upon a time?”
I shrugged. I had no interest in Alana’s schoolgirl crushes. Or ... perhaps I should listen, just so I could tell Cat. She might be interested.
“I always thought he was too full of himself.” Alana sounded amused. “And now I know I was right.”
I peered up at the roof, my eyes tracing out the metallic runes and sigils inserted into the stone. They were designed to channel magic ... a lot of magic. I traced them out, then looked towards the door ... where the logic of the building told me a door had to be. It was hidden in the shadows, but clearly there. I inched forward, peering into the darkness. There were no torches within the stairwell, no source of light at all. I allowed myself a moment of relief, then cast a night-vision spell as I started to climb the stairs. The stone walls were threaded with metal, leading up ... I thought I understood, as we moved up, where they led. The entire castle was heavily warded ...
Except it isn’t, I thought. We didn’t meet any resistance when we walked into the castle.
I slowed, thinking hard. I couldn’t imagine the wards not trying to stop us, when we entered the building. Even commoner households had a few basic wards to keep out thieves, supernatural vermin and unwelcome relatives. I’d assumed we’d have to break into the castle - it was why I’d brought the spellcaster - but instead we’d encountered a marked lack of resistance. Had Francis already taken down the wards? Or had we put our heads in a trap?
A dull shiver ran through the building. I froze, one hand gripping the sword in the scabbard. If we were in trouble ... I looked back at Alana and the others, then resumed the climb. There was nothing else we could do. On impulse, I cast a location spell, but the results were unclear. Francis had probably warded himself. We were cousins, not brothers. We had a blood tie, but it wasn’t that strong.
Alana nudged me. “What do you think he’s doing?”
I shrugged. “Something bad,” I muttered back. “Something ... I wish I knew.”
The thought caused me a pang as I spotted the light at the top of the stairwell. What was Francis doing? Had he realised that he had to remove all the witnesses? Or did he think he could get away with everything he’d done? We’d been told, often enough, that all was fair in love, war and the Challenge. If my father - and his father, I assumed - had been unwilling or unable to discuss the Challenge, perhaps ... I shook my head. Whatever happened, Francis was not going to get away with it. I’d see to that, whatever the cost.
Saline pushed past me. “I’ll go ahead,” she said. “You keep yourself in reserve.”
I bit my lip, but she’d gone past before I could muster an objection. Alana grinned at me, then told Bella to bring up the rear as we followed Saline up and out into the light. We were on top of the castle, staring at battlements that seemed too low to be useful ... I couldn’t feel any safety charms, nothing that might prevent someone from toppling over and falling to his death. The magic currents were stronger here, blowing with the wind ... I felt uncomfortable, just standing on top of the building. The urge to step back inside was almost overpowering ...
“Louise.” Saline sounded relieved ... and worried. “What are you doing?”
I followed her gaze. Louise, her face set in a blank yet tearful mask, was building ... something ... on top of the castle. My eyes traced it out ... it was a Device of Power, but what was it? Francis couldn’t have brought it with him, could he? No, it was impossible. I would have noticed if he’d brought more than his tools - my tools- with him. He’d found the components in the castle itself. My mind raced. He was trying to link his device, whatever it was, into the castle’s wards ... no, into its magic. I’d sensed the power the first time I’d touched the walls. Francis could have done the same himself.
A hex flashed towards us. I ducked, drawing the sword as the hex struck the stone wall behind me and flashed out of existence in a shower of sparks. Alana moved to the side, warily pacing the battlements. I stood in the centre, sword in hand, and looked for Francis. It took me a moment to see him, even with the sword aching for blood. He was standing on top of the device, a multitool - my multitool - in one hand and a spellcaster in the other. His face twisted in hatred when he saw me.
For a moment, I couldn’t move. Did Francis hate me? Had he merely pretended to be my friend, all along? Five years ... how had he kept it up? Or ... had something else happened to him? I knew him, or I thought I knew him. Francis hated to lose. Even if I forgave him, even if everyone forgave him, he would still have lost. And he knew it.
The wind blew stronger as Francis hurled another hex at us and jumped down, landing on the far side of the device. I caught the spell on the sword’s blade and hurried forward. Francis snapped a command and Louise hurled herself at me. I nearly cut her down before I realised who she was. Saline darted forward and slammed her palm onto Louise’s chest. There was a flash of light - and a strange smell, hibiscus flowers - before Louise toppled to the ground, screaming. I hurried past her, hoping that Saline would be able to deal with her. I wanted - I needed - to catch Francis before it was too late.
“Stop,” I shouted at him. “It’s over. There’s nowhere to run!”
Francis reached the end of the battlements, then turned to face me. His face was pale, sweat glistening on his forehead. And yet ... I saw a hint of madness in his eyes, a grim determination to win whatever the cost. Magic crackled over his skin, arcing in all directions. The sword absorbed the charms hurled directly at me, but the others ... I gritted my teeth as I was battered with ice-cold water and sleep. Mist and fog started to form in front of me, blocking my vision. I banished it with an effort as I moved forward. The sword wanted blood.
“Why?” I demanded an answer, even though I doubted I’d get one. “Why ...?”
Francis laughed, hysterically. “Do you think I wanted to spend the rest of my life playing second fiddle to you?”
“You wanted to win?” I glared at him. “Everything you did ... you just wanted to win?”
“Are you really that naïve?” Francis mocked. His words ... something occurred to me, something bad. But ... I didn’t have time to think about it. “Of course I wanted to win!”
“But the family ...” I couldn’t wrap my head around it. The sword’s hum grew stronger, demanding blood. “What about the family ...?”
“Who cares?” Francis laughe
d. He didn’t stop laughing, even as I raised the sword. “I just wanted to win!”
I heard a scream behind me, a scream of rage. I glanced back, just in time to see Louise on her feet, hurling a hex at me ... no, at Francis. Francis blocked it with an effort, but the shock of the impact drove him back ... and over the battlements. He fell. I yelled something and ran forward, trying to cast a spell to catch him. The magic currents flared around me, breaking up the spell before it could take shape. Francis laughed - I swear, he laughed - as he fell ...
... And his body hit the ground, far below, with a sickening thud.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
For a long moment, I stared in horror.
Francis was dead. I had no doubt of it. He was a powerful and skilled magician, but he hadn’t had a chance to cast any of the spells that might have saved his life. His unmoving body lay at the foot of the wall, blood slowly spreading out ... I couldn’t take my eyes off it. Francis had betrayed me - he’d betrayed everyone - but ... we’d also been friends. Hadn’t we? I’d always thought we were friends.
“I didn’t mean to ...” Louise was on her knees, babbling. Saline was kneeling next to her, one arm wrapped around Louise’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to kill him ...”
I looked at her, unsure what to say. Or do. Francis was dead. He’d betrayed me, but ... he was dead. And ... my head spun. I had a feeling I knew that someone had moved him, that someone had pointed him at me like a spellcaster set on fire ... and I thought I knew who that person had been. But ...that didn’t matter, not now. Louise hadn’t meant to kill him, yet ... she might be blamed for his death. Uncle Davys would demand retribution, perhaps even a full vendetta. It could not be allowed.
“It wasn’t your fault.” I was fairly sure of it. Louise had every reason to hate Francis, but ... she hadn’t meant to kill him. “I’ll swear to it, if necessary.”
I looked past her, at Alana. The truce wasn’t quite over, but ... I met her eyes, wondering if she’d stab me in the back too. She looked back evenly, her dark gaze defying me to suggest it. She knew something of honour, I supposed. Cat had suggested otherwise, but ... if nothing else, Alana was smart enough to realise that getting a reputation for breaking her word would make it impossible for anyone else to trust her. I felt a dull thud echo through the castle as I walked towards the girls, taking a moment to squeeze Louise’s shoulder. She hadn’t meant to kill Francis, but she might never come to terms with what she’d done.
“So.” Alana nodded to me. “What now?”
“I have no idea.” I thought, briefly. “We leave Louise and Saline here and go hunting ...”
“Monsters,” Louise whispered. “You’re all monsters.”
Alana gave me a puzzled look. I ignored it. There was no time to argue. We had to finish the game. “If we can eliminate the other teams ...”
An idea crossed my mind. What if ...?
A scream echoed from the stairwell. I jumped, lifting the sword. Bella had been down there, watching our backs. I heard something shuffling up the stairs as Alana ran forward, magic crackling over her hand. A dark shape emerged from the stairwell, inching towards us. It was one of the monsters ... I cursed my oversight as it came into the light. We’d walked right past them, taking them for statues. It dragged Bella behind it, by the hair. Bella was gasping in pain, trying to hex it ...
Alana blasted the monster with a powerful hex, at point-blank range. It staggered, but seemed otherwise unaffected. A moment later, it pulled Bella forward and pressed its hand against her cheek. Bella turned to stone, right in front of us. The monster let go, as soon as the transformation was complete. Bella’s stone form dropped to the ground and lay there, unmoving.
I lashed out with the sword. The monster didn’t move, didn’t try to dodge, as the sword cut through it like a knife through butter. I stared as it was bisected, the two pieces falling to the ground. There was no blood, just an oily substance that started to dry up as soon as it was exposed to the outside air. I poked it, warily. I’d seen something like it, during advanced forging lessons with Magister Tallyman, but never in such great quantities. Magister Tallyman had said it was expensive, astonishingly so. And rare.
“A construct,” I said. The monster looked like one of the training dummies, only tougher. I would have loved to take it apart, if we’d had time. Instead ... “How many were there, downstairs?”
“Dozens, at least.” Alana was bent over Bella’s prone form, casting a handful of spells. “I can’t free her.”
“The Castellan said there’d be other traps,” I reminded her. We’d walked right past them. I cursed under my breath. “And now ...”
I heard a scratching sound and turned, just in time to see another monster climbing over the battlements and coming right at us. The sword guided me forward, slashing through the creature’s neck and beheading it. The body kept coming ... I shook my head in disbelief, then slashed the creature into a dozen pieces. Another appeared behind it, and another ... I kicked one off the battlements and peered down. Dozens - perhaps hundreds - of the constructs were climbing towards us. I heard a scream from far below. Someone else - someone from one of the other teams - had been caught.
Alana turned and cast a blasting hex, aiming at the battlements under another creature. It fell backwards and over the battlements, just like Francis. Somehow, I doubted the fall would be enough to kill the creature. It wasn’t really alive. My mind raced as I bisected another construct, trying to remember what I’d been told about them. They were practically unstoppable, as long as their spellform remained intact. They’d only gone out of fashion because they were, at base, Devices of Power ... with all the vulnerabilities of every other Device of Power. A construct built around an Object of Power - or a construct that was an Object of Power - would be unstoppable. The Thousand-Year Empire had conquered two continents with them.
“Keep knocking them off the walls,” Alana snapped. She hauled Louise to her feet and shoved her towards the stairwell. “Don’t let them come up.”
“They’re just ... coming,” Louise stammered. She cast a spell - a blocking ward, I thought - but it didn’t seem to work. Louise had never coped well with surprises and this ... this was a real surprise. “What do we do?”
I forced myself to think as I heard a crashing sound from further down the stairwell. Louise was right. They were still coming, still advancing towards us ... and there was nowhere to run. If we tried to go down the stairs, we’d be caught and petrified before we had a chance to escape; if we tried to go down the outer walls, we’d fall to our deaths. The magic currents were growing stronger. I had no faith in our ability to levitate ourselves down - or even put ourselves in stasis long enough to survive the fall. The currents were just too strong. I dismantled another construct as I tried to think ... there had to be a way out.
“We can go down the stairs in a group,” Alana said. “If I take the lead, you can ...”
I held up a hand as a thought struck me. I pushed the sword against the floor, trying to cut a hole that would let us drop into the castle. But there was a surge of magic, strong enough to threaten even the sword itself. I gritted my teeth as I aimed a blasting hex at another construct, sending it plunging towards the ground. There was no way out, unless ...
“Cover me.” I tried to give the sword to Alana, arguing that she would be my sister-in-law soon enough, but it refused to go. “Watch my back.”
“Try not to die,” Alana advised. “Cat wouldn’t like it.”
I nodded and hurried towards the Device of Power Francis and Louise had been making. It was a siphon, as far as I could tell ... no, it was more than just a siphon. The pieces had been left for us deliberately, a puzzle for us to put together if we wanted to win. I studied it for a long moment, working out how it went together. Francis had been wrong, I noted as I pulled out a handful of metal components. He’d taken forging classes, of course, but he’d dropped the subject as soon as he could. He’d certainly never shared my fascination
. Or Cat’s. It was how we’d bonded.
“Louise, come give me a hand,” I ordered. “We need to put this together.”
Magister Tallyman would not have been amused at how quickly I worked. Haste led to mistakes, he’d said often enough, when it didn’t lead to serious injury or even death. But I had no choice. I put the Device of Power together at terrifying speed, knowing there would be no time to correct any mistakes. Francis, thankfully, had dropped the multitool on the battlements. It would have been one final irony if he’d taken it with him when he fell ...
Magic crackled around us as the pieces fell into place. The constructs moved faster now, coming right at me. I lashed out with the sword, taking two apart ... an instant before a third caught Saline. I heard her scream as she turned to stone, her face caught in an instant of pain ... I shuddered as Louise stumbled to her feet, casting a series of spells. It wasn’t enough to slow the constructs. Alana was caught by her jacket; she shrugged it off, an instant before she could be petrified too. It was slightly indecent, but ... I laughed at myself. We had other concerns right now.
“Louise, cover us.” I put the sword down, then motioned for Alana to take the other side as the magic grew stronger. “Alana, we have to work together ...”
(The Zero Enigma Book 6) The Family Pride Page 37