Those in the crowd? They saw a traitor. She’d once been a hero to them, even the ones who had only heard her name or seen her in the streets. Now they knew she was against them.
Last night? With Lucie? The old woman who’d known her since she was a child believed the same as this crowd, and had no doubt told everyone else.
Worth and Alexandra? She could see them now. They looked completely defeated. They too thought she had switched sides.
What about William—the man who’d been by her side this entire time? Only he still questioned whether she’d made the jump, but still, she thought he had been fooled now too. It was only his complete faith in her that hadn’t done for it fully.
Now he was dying as she watched.
The person killing him? The dark mage she had chased across the whole fucking continent? He believed too, because his back was to Riley. He trusted that she would take his oath.
What did she believe?
Because that was what Linda’s main message had been. To defeat Rendal, she had to believe in herself. She had to know she could do it.
Even with the damned necklace on, Riley had used psychic magic on an entire kingdom, although no one would recognize it as such.
She hopped gracefully off the platform onto the main stage, her feet hardly making a sound as she landed.
No one was looking at her now. She was forgotten, because everyone believed her fate was sealed with Rendal. Only those dying mattered now.
Riley pulled her sword from its sheath.
Believe, she thought. Believe in yourself, or all this was for naught.
“Rendal, darling, I’ve had a change of heart.”
Her voice rang out strong across the platform. She was the Right Hand, the hero of New Perth, the one who had sworn an oath to protect that kingdom, and all before her now heard it.
The electricity flowing from Rendal’s hand stopped. He paused but didn’t turn around.
“I think rather than join you, I’ll kill you, if it’s all the same to you.”
William let out a groan and fell to the ground, rolling over. His eyes were open, and despite the pain that was wracking his body, he was grinning. “I knew it,” he croaked. “Took you long enough, skinny.”
Riley winked at him and put her focus back on the mage.
Slowly Rendal turned around. “Why all of this? Why not just show up and die? Why go through all this nonsense?”
Riley smiled. “I had one last domain of magic to master.”
“There can be no magic with that necklace on.”
“Then tell me why everyone here thought I was going to join up with a piece of shit like you, Rendal. If that wasn’t psychic magic, there is no such thing.”
Rendal looked perplexed for a moment, then smiled. “It doesn’t matter. You’ve proven yourself to be a fool, and now everyone will see it.”
Riley caught movement out of her left eye. Her hand moved like lightning, grabbing something small that William tossed through the air.
A rock?
Even Rendal was staring at her hand now. She saw the parchment and held onto it, letting the rock fall to the ground.
Help is ready. When Riley attacks, so will the city.
Riley closed her eyes for a brief second, smiling broadly. They had believed in her enough to rally the entire kingdom. They only needed her to lead.
And that was what she was here for, damn it.
She opened her eyes. “Let’s see who the fool is, old man.”
Rendal chuckled and let his hands drop to his sides. Electricity flowed from his fingertips slowly, the streams snaking their way across the platform to Riley.
“What are you going to do with that necklace on? Going to slice through my magic with it? Cut the electricity to death?” He laughed as the white lightning drew nearer, moving lazily through the air.
“Maybe.”
She knew this was a risk, and that it was going to hurt like hell, but there wasn’t any choice.
Riley moved like the wind. She whipped forward, slicing into the electricity with her sword and then ripping it upward toward the circlet on her neck.
Her body froze as the current swept through her, producing pain like she’d never known.
Seconds passed, each one feeling like an eternity, but the electricity was flowing through the necklace.
Riley felt it fall, and in that same instant, her eyes blazed red.
She focused on the sword and the current flowing through her body. She shoved it back, forcing the electricity down to the blade.
Her eyes met Rendal’s.
“Who’s the fool now?”
Riley’s left hand flicked to the left, and Rendal was thrown as if some giant’s fist had swung from the side. The electricity ceased immediately and he slumped across the platform, his robe billowing out around him.
The Honor Guard came next, falling on her quickly. Riley danced her deadly steps, dodging, ducking, and striking as if they were in a choreographed play. They sliced with blades and hacked with axes, but nothing touched her. Their screams filled the air, their blood spilling from them.
After the last one had fallen, Riley stood in the midst of the twelve bodies.
Rendal was staring at her from the other side of the stage.
“You have improved,” he told her.
“You don’t know the half of it, old man.”
Riley’s eyes blazed red and she turned to the crowd, her left hand rising. Fire roared from it, soaring above the heads of those gathered.
“If you’re with me,” she yelled, “now is the time!”
Rendal turned slightly, staring at the people. A roar came from them, and as Riley watched, people dropped their cowls and hoods.
The guards who stood below the platform spun, suddenly understanding that the crowd was a threat.
And then came the sounds of steel clanging against steel.
“Kick his fuckin’ ass, Riley!” William shouted. He was on one knee now, trying to rise all the way up.
“With pleasure,” she said.
Riley went forward, eyes red and fire in her heart.
Erin watched it all. She stood in the crowd, Lucie to her right, Brighten and Kris to her left. Eisen was somewhere else in the crowd, waiting for the correct moment to attack.
The tactics Erin and Eisen had decided on were simple but effective. Once they had understood that Rendal was calling everyone to the square, they had mobilized. Throughout this crowd were strategically placed men and women—hundreds of them, spread out and near guards. Beneath their tunics and jackets were weapons of all sorts—axes, swords, knives.
When the time came, they’d take the mage’s soldiers by surprise.
Erin had watched as Rendal gave his speech as Harold and William started to battle, and then as Rendal descended and electrocuted them.
She’d nearly pulled her blade from its sheath then and started slitting throats.
Lucie had stayed her hand, shaking her head and mouthing, “No.”
Erin watched William shaking on the stage, unable to do anything.
Yet Riley had stood, and Erin saw her do it. She saw her drop down to the main platform, and while she couldn’t hear exactly what she told Rendal, she knew what it meant.
“I fucking told you,” Erin whispered harshly, barely able to keep the excitement from ripping out as a scream.
Lucie had grabbed her arm, but not to stay her weapon this time. She was excited too.
“What’s she doing?” Kris whispered from the other side.
“She’s standing up to him,” Erin answered, awe in her voice. “She’s going to fight him.”
Erin looked at the two of them. “It’s time for you two to get out of here. Things are going to get dangerous.”
“You’re going to fight?”
Erin nodded. “Hell, yes, we are. My son’s up there too, and in about thirty seconds, all hell is going to break loose. Go on and get out of here. We’ll see you soon.”
/> “Be careful,” Brighten said.
“You, too. Go now, before you get caught up!”
The two kids ran through the crowd, heading out of harm’s way.
Erin turned to Lucie. “You ready to give this bastard and all his people what they deserve?”
Lucie was smiling, her eyes on Riley. “Oh, yeah. I’ve been ready for decades.”
“It’s almost time.” Erin looked at the stage, not yet ready to pull her cloak off. William was alive. Electricity was snaking across the stage, and Erin watched as Riley somehow used it to break the necklace.
“Oh, shit,” Lucie said. “He’s about to be fucked.”
“Hold steady,” Erin commanded. “She’ll let us know when.”
The Honor Guard came next, and Erin watched as Riley dispatched them.
“Almost time.”
When the fire blazed from her hand and her voice sang above the crowd, Erin looked at Lucie.
“Now.”
Lucie’s eyes were red. “Let’s kill these bastards.”
Erin ripped her sword free from its sheath. “For New Perth!”
She heard other blades being freed, and the resounding battle cry came back, “For New Perth!”
The war began.
Chapter Twenty-One
Rendal’s hands came together, forming a small circle. Riley watched a blue ball form inside it, growing larger. It didn’t look quite like flames or electricity, but a little bit of both.
He released it, and the ball of energy ripped across the platform.
Riley’s hands quickly drew a square in front of her.
The ball slammed into the forcefield she’d created, battering against it and causing Riley to take a step back.
The energy scattered across the invisible barrier as the ball faded to nothing.
“That’s just the beginning, darling,” Rendal spat. “You have no idea about the trouble you’re in for.”
“Oh, we’re just getting started.”
“No, we’re not,” Rendal answered. “This is the end.”
He dropped to one knee, touching a finger to the platform, then launched himself into the air.
Riley’s head jerked upward as he flew above her.
“Hey, skinny, you going to be able to catch him?” William asked, walking over and staring up with her. His clothes were smoking and she could tell he was weak, but he wasn’t finished.
“Just make sure Mason and Goland stay safe. I’ll take care of him.”
“You better, or I’ll have to do it myself.” He grinned, but it faded. “In all seriousness, go kill him, but be careful.”
“I got this, chubby.” Riley grinned back.
She dropped to one knee, letting the point of her sword touch the platform.
She launched into the air as well, leaving the world below.
Rendal hung about fifteen feet in front of her, his hands spread wide and fire flowing from them. It was spreading out in a globe, encircling both mages.
“Nowhere to run, Riley.”
“Run? You’ve been running the whole time, Rendal. All you’re doing is sealing your fate.”
The heat from the fiery globe pressed on her, causing sweat to pop out on her face. The flames quit flowing from Rendal as the fire completed its process of locking them together.
High in the air, above New Perth, the two mages stared at one another.
“Don’t forget, Riley. My orbs are up here too. Not inside this globe, but you can’t stop them, and when they explode, everyone beneath you is going to die. You see, you’ve already lost, you just don’t know it.”
Believe, Riley thought. Believe and stand true.
“All this talk, but I’m tired of the yip-yap. Time to die, Rendal.”
Riley threw her sword and it streaked forward blade-first, a fiery trail rippling behind it. The sword swerved right when it reached Rendal, circling around and around and also moving up and down. The flaming sword was creating a cocoon of fire around the dark mage.
Riley barreled forward, more flames blazing from her hands.
Rendal tried to drop below the flames but Riley thrust her hands forward and more fire met him. It hit the mage in the shoulder, causing him to spin toward the outer globe.
Laughter boomed around Riley—the sound of gods laughing.
She paused in her flight, the sword pausing as well.
Rendal spun to her. He was laughing, his voice projecting through the air. His shoulder was bare and bleeding, the bracelet on his wrist pulsing bright red.
“You can’t beat me, girl. These are mere parlor tricks.” His voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, easily as oppressive as the heat surrounding her.
He’s trying to psyche you out. That’s the point of all of this.
“Watch, and you’ll see real power.”
The mage waved his hand above his head, and a patch of the fiery globe disappeared. Riley stared through it and saw an orb floating in the air to the right.
She knew what was about to happen.
No!
Riley launched herself upwards, her hand extending and her sword hailing to it.
She saw the small patch of flames started to reform itself, hoping to keep her in. Riley burst through it, her clothes catching fire. She didn’t care.
The orb was in front of her now, blinking wildly. Riley sliced at it with her sword, cutting the thing in half. It fell through the globe below, catching fire as it did.
A cooling field rolled across Riley’s body, killing the flames that still sputtered on her clothing.
“Look around you, girl. There are orbs everywhere. You cannot possibly stop them all.”
The voice boomed from inside the globe. Rendal was still in there.
Riley looked around. There were blinking orbs strung across the sky.
One, a hundred yards away from her, exploded. Fire rained down, and Riley watched as it engulfed both people and buildings, destroying everything it touched.
“There’s nothing you can do, bitch. It’s all over.”
No, Riley thought. That’s not true. It’s what he wants you to believe, but you know the truth. You know all you have to do is believe in yourself, and you can kill him.
The fiery globe had closed again, and as she looked into the distance, another explosion lit the sky. More people would die beneath it. She had to stop him now.
Riley dropped back into the globe, this time using a forcefield to keep the fire from singing her.
Rendal’s face was grim.
“Wanted me to run around the sky chasing your little bombs, didn’t ya?” Riley asked. “That way you could distract me.”
Rendal said nothing, only shot his hands forward and sent electricity flying toward her.
Riley launched herself at Rendal, sending her own electricity back at him.
The two currents slammed into each other, a thunderous roar echoing across the sky.
Riley felt Rendal’s strength, his magic pressing into hers.
Believe, she thought.
Riley moved forward inch by inch, the strands from her electricity ensnaring his.
It’s working. It’s fucking working!
It was; Riley was moving forward, and Rendal’s space and power were being reduced. He was faltering.
Her brow was covered in sweat, and as she looked around, she saw that the globe was closing in on them. Rendal was bringing it closer, wanting to burn her to death if he couldn’t electrocute her.
“Try what you want, Rendal,” she gritted out. “It’s over.”
Riley was five feet away now.
She knew what to do. It was the same thing she’d done with Eric when they’d battled on that ladder.
Riley dropped. Her electricity died and Rendal’s streaked through the air, missing her completely.
Within half a second, Riley rocketed back up, this time behind Rendal.
He saw her coming and began turning, but he was too slow. He’d just managed to face her when
Riley plunged her sword into his gut.
His mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out.
The two mages floated in the air, staring at each other. A stream of blood rolled over his lips.
“All the evil you did, Rendal? It had nothing to do with magic. All you cared about was power. Power over New Perth. Power over me. And now you have none. It was all such a waste.”
Rendal tried to smile, and it was a gruesome, bloody thing.
“Even now, you’re incapable of goodness,” Riley whispered.
She felt her sword growing heavy, and she knew what was about to happen. None of the nanocytes in his bracelet could stop it.
Rendal started to fall, and Riley pulled her sword out. The red in his eyes faded, his body heading toward the kingdom below. Riley looked up at the globe. The fire was disappearing, and large patches of blue sky were visible in its place.
Rendal’s reign of magical terror was finished.
William threw a man off him, sending the guard flying ten feet from the platform. He knew what was happening above, but also that he couldn’t control it. He had to protect the Prefect.
The battle was ferocious, Rendal’s men fighting tooth and nail.
Soldiers kept rushing onto the platform, but William, Alexandra, Worth, and Eric were managing to hold them off.
Barely.
“When she gets down from playing around in the sky, I’m gonna kill her!” William shouted as another guard came from his right.
He battered the man’s sword away with his (he’d stolen the late Harold’s), then grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off his feet.
“Worth, are you doing anything over there?!” he called.
“Worth beating them all!”
William laughed, smashing the soldier in the head with the hilt of his sword and tossed him off the platform.
“Look!”
It was Alexandra, and she’d turned her face to the sky.
“I ain’t got time to look up there! I’m too busy saving your asses!” William shouted back. Yet, as he stared around the platform, he saw no other soldiers were attempting to climb up. The entire crowd was staring into the sky.
William turned his head as well.
Hand of Justice Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4): The Dark Mage, Chasing Magic, Magic Rising, Magic Unchained Page 72
