“Gods?” Caldwell asked, looking back at him from the doorway, “there are no gods here, Savrin. As for our god, well, you should be grateful. He has given you a second chance.”
Savrin screamed, charging for the man, but the massive creature scooped him up easily. Savrin called on what little strength he had and struck the creature in the face as hard as he could. Its head didn’t even so much as rock back, and it reached out a hand, almost casually, and grabbed his wrist. It twisted with apparently no effort and all, and sudden pain, hot and bright, shot through Savrin. He screamed again, but this time it was not in anger but in unbelievable agony and shock as he stared at his twisted wrist, his hand dangling at an impossible angle.
“If he continues to scream,” the advisor said, his voice calm, “rip out his tongue.”
Savrin struggled against the pain, his breath coming in ragged gasps. “I will kill you,” he said, meeting the thin man’s gaze.
Caldwell smiled, “Oh, Savrin,” he said, shaking his head, “once our master is done with you, you won’t even remember me.” He turned to the creature once more. “Let’s go. It would not do to keep the master waiting. And take care of the healer on the way out—there cannot be any witnesses.”
The creature hefted Savrin over one shoulder, not even seeming to notice his weak, useless struggles. Pella, he thought, I’m sorry. Gods, but I’m sorry. They were his last thoughts before the pain washed over him in a towering tidal wave, burying him, and his consciousness, beneath it.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FIVE
Aaron stumbled out of the last of the forest and breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he looked on the white stone walls of Perennia in the distance. The trip through the forest had been a long, hard one. They had done what they could to bind each other’s wounds, but they were no healers, and the exhaustion and pain they’d experienced had long since etched itself onto the faces of him and his companions. The journey had been made worse by the fact that they had regularly been forced to stop and switch the corpse to another horse as the animals could not bear the weight for long. The creature weighed far more than any normal man and that, coupled with their injuries, had made moving it from one horse to another almost an impossible task. Several times, Aaron had considered leaving the damned thing and never mind Grinner and Hale and their “proof.”
Now though, gazing at the walls of the city, he was glad that they hadn’t. So close to the city, the trials they’d experienced over the last several weeks did not seem as bad, and he was surprised to find a small smile on his face. The coming danger was still very real, but he felt better than he had in a very long time.
The others, clearly sharing his relief, moved to stand beside him. “Ah, thank the gods,” Leomin said, “I would really love to take a bath.”
“Yeah,” Aaron said, glancing at the man and raising his eyebrow, “and maybe see a healer.”
“And a whore.”
They all turned to look at Wendell, and the sergeant shrugged, clearly unashamed, “You’ve got your ways, and I’ve got mine.”
Aaron shook his head slowly. “Come on,” he said, “let’s get this walk over with.”
***
Everyone was already in the audience hall when Aaron and the others shuffled in, their bodies covered in bandages nearly from head to toe, and the foul taste of the healer’s drink still thick in Aaron’s throat. Queen Isabelle sat on her raised dais in between the two tables. On the left table sat Adina, Gryle, May, Beth, Bastion, Captain Brandon Gant, and an older man that Aaron didn’t recognize. On the right sat Grinner, his thickly muscled bodyguard standing behind him, Hale, and General Yallek.
They all looked up as Aaron and the others made their way inside, their faces stricken with surprise. “Aaron?” Adina said, then she was up and running to him, throwing herself against him. Despite the dull ache of his wounds, Aaron was glad for the embrace, for the feel of her against him.
“Thank the gods you’re okay. But…” She paused, looking him up and down. “What happened to you? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, Adina,” Aaron said, giving her a smile.
“I’m good too,” Wendell muttered, “in case anyone was wonderin’.”
Several people laughed at that, including Aaron. The princess stepped forward and gave the sergeant a hug before kissing him on the cheek. “I’m very glad you’re okay, Wendell.” The sergeant’s face turned a bright shade of red, and he grinned so widely that Aaron thought the man would be sore in the morning.
Adina went to Leomin and Darrell next, hugging each of the men in turn. She made it to the youth, Caleb, who looked shy and uncertain. “Hello,” the princess said with a smile, “my name’s Adina.”
“M-my n-names, Caleb,” the youth managed, swallowing hard.
“Normally,” Aaron said dryly, “he doesn’t stutter so much. Still, without him we never would have made it out of Baresh alive.”
The youth shot a frown at Aaron, but Adina only laughed, offering him her hand. The kid blushed as if she’d just kissed him on the mouth and took her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Caleb,” Adina said, winking. “And thank you for keeping this one safe,” she said, motioning to Aaron, “I know it isn’t an easy job.”
The kid nodded solemnly at that and soon the others were rising, even Isabelle herself, and moving toward Aaron and the others. “I knew you’d make it back,” Captain Gant said, grinning. “Some bastards are just too stubborn to die.”
“Got to admit, Silent,” Hale said, the big man clapping Aaron on the back, “I didn’t expect I’d see you again, not alive anyway. Still, I ‘spose it ought to be a comfort, knowin’ I ain’t the only one has a hard time killin’ you.”
Aaron grunted. “Well, just so long as you’re comforted, Hale. Next, maybe I’ll read you a bedtime story.”
The big man laughed his loud, bellowing laugh at that, and Grinner stepped forward, his bodyguard hovering behind him. “Yes,” the older man said, “so you have returned. Still, I cannot help but notice that I do not see anything on you that might show us Belgarin’s intentions. Are we to assume, then, that you failed at your task?”
The others looked at Aaron and his companions with the same question in their eyes, and Aaron turned to Wendell. “You may as well get it now.”
The sergeant nodded, shuffling toward the doors, his leg still not fully healed. He gave the doors a rap, and soon the two guards stationed on the other side opened them wide. Aaron noted that their faces looked pale and sickly beneath their helmets. As pale as they looked though, they appeared considerably better than the eight men who carried a large, wrapped bundle, clearly straining under the weight of it.
“Where would you like for us to put it, sir?” one of the men asked, sounding out of breath.
“Just there will do fine,” Aaron said, motioning in front of Grinner’s feet, and the old crime boss gave him a suspicious frown, his bodyguard moving closer as the guards laid the bundle at Grinner’s feet.
Aaron knelt, wincing as his wounds pulled, and glanced up at everyone who watched him, their expressions sober. “You wanted your proof,” he said to Grinner, “well, here it is.” They’d wrapped the body in blankets to try to keep the elements away as much as they could, but the smell of decomposition struck Aaron like a fist as he pulled the blankets free, exposing the creature. The days spent in the forest had not been kind, and its body was bloated with noxious gas, but its form and features could still be made out well enough, judging by the shouts of surprise as the others recoiled. The crime boss, Grinner, let out a squeak, stepping back and putting a hand over his mouth, and even Hale grunted in a mixture of surprise and disgust.
“Gods protect us,” the queen said, her eyes wide, her complexion parchment-white. “What…what is it?”
“It used to be a man,” Aaron said, “that much I can tell you. As for what it is now…” He glanced at the youth, Caleb, who looked slightly green despite the fact that he’d spent the better part
of two weeks riding beside the creature.
“An abomination,” the youth said, “created by Boyce Kevlane’s use of the Art, his twisting of it.”
Adina swallowed hard, coming to stand beside Aaron and leaning into him as if she’d fall without support. “It…are there more?”
“Many,” Aaron said, “and this is not the only kind. Princess,” he said, turning and holding her arms gently, “your brother, Belgarin…Kevlane has taken his place as king and used his powers to convince the city that he is their rightful king still.”
Adina’s eyes went wide at that and a flurry of emotions passed across her face. “Belgarin…he’s dead then?”
“Yes, or so I believe.”
She nodded, taking a slow breath, and Grinner grunted, “I’m sure this is all shocking enough—you should consider putting on a show in the street. I’m quite certain the poor commoners would be throwing their coppers at you for a chance to look at it. But are you trying to tell me that this,” he said, and for all his talk, Aaron noted that he took another step back when he gazed at the corpse, “is the work of some wizard from thousands of years ago?”
“Yes.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Grinner said, “everyone knows that Boyce Kevlane was just a myth. There is no truth—”
“Ah, shut the fuck up, Grinner,” Hale said, pointing a thick finger at the corpse, “lay off it. Your proof is right there, plain enough to see if old age hasn’t robbed you of your sight along with your wits.”
The two men glared at each other, like animals preparing to go for one another’s throats, but Brandon Gant stepped between them. “That’s enough of all that,” the captain said. “We’ve got more important things to worry about than your egos. Now,” he said, turning to Aaron, “you said there were more of them?”
Aaron nodded. “If I’m not mistaken, a lot more. And there’ll be more still before Kevlane’s done.”
The captain shook his head slowly, his eyes on the creature. “Gods preserve us. Was he as strong as he looks?”
“Stronger,” Wendell said. “Fucker got impaled by a castle gate fallin’ on ‘em and had enough left to chase after us.”
General Yallek moved forward, eyeing the corpse as if he thought it might rise and attack them at any moment. “This…Mr. Envelar, this changes everything.”
“Aye,” Hale said, “well, I ‘spose we’ll be needin’ those troops from Galia sooner than we thought, aye, Princess?”
Aaron frowned at that, turning to look at Adina who had a slightly embarrassed expression on her face like that of a child who’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t. She cleared her throat and met Aaron’s gaze. “Aaron,” she said, “I would like to introduce you to Captain Oliver.” She indicated the man standing behind her. He was short but muscled, and the way he stood, light on his feet, made Aaron sure that the man was a skilled fighter.
Aaron nodded his head, and the short man nodded his in turn, his expression grim. “Captain Oliver,” Adina said, “that is…General Oliver, is the commander of Galia’s army.” She met Aaron’s gaze once more. “My army.”
Aaron frowned. “Galia? But your kingdom was taken…”
“Yes,” May said, coming to stand beside Adina and putting a hand on her shoulder, “but the princess here took it back. Or queen, I should say,” she said, giving Adina a wink.
“You…went to Galia?” Aaron said, disbelieving. “Adina, the dangers…”
“Are no greater than what you four—sorry,” she said, smiling at Caleb, “five faced. In fact,” she said, looking meaningfully at their bandaged limbs, “I’d say they were less.”
Aaron winced at that, but he finally nodded.
“Funny thing, sir,” Wendell said. “You come back with a corpse, and she comes back with a kingdom.”
May laughed, and Aaron turned to scowl at the sergeant. “Just whose side are you on, Sergeant?”
“The woman’s, of course, sir,” Wendell said as if it was obvious. “It’s always the safest thing.”
“This is some trick, that’s all,” Grinner said, shaking his head, refusing to believe it, “there is no way—”
Aaron, tiring of the man’s blather, held out his hand, palm to the ceiling, and in a moment, Co appeared above it, a magenta ball filled with twisting, shifting light.
Grinner and several of the others gasped, retreating several steps back, as Leomin and Caleb followed suit, summoning their own Virtues. Aaron glanced at Gryle, and the man looked sheepishly around him before reaching out his own pudgy hand, a grimace on his face, as if he was preparing himself for pain. Then his, too, appeared, floating next to the other three.
Grinner stared at them wide-eyed. “What…that is…how—?”
“The Virtues, Grinner,” Aaron said. “Everybody knows they’re myths, but here they are anyway.”
The room lapsed into silence then, the people unable to decide whether to keep their eyes on the Virtues or the corpse at their feet. Captain Gant was the first to recover. “So…what do we do?” he asked.
Aaron glanced at those standing around him before meeting Brandon’s eyes. “What we can, Captain. We do what we can.”
***
Boyce Kevlane stood gazing at the tournament grounds, his hands clasped behind his back. He watched as laborers went about preparing the fields for the coming contest. A contest in which the best warriors in all of Telrear would compete in feats of arms, of strength and speed where only the greatest of their number might triumph, winning gold that they would never have a chance to spend. After all, Kevlane thought, wars must have soldiers. “How long?” he asked.
“The workers assure me that it will be no longer than a week, Master,” Caldwell said. “Nearly all of the inns in the city are already packed with men and women come for the contest, and more flood in every day.”
“Good,” Kevlane said, nodding, “that is very good. You have done well, Caldwell.”
The advisor bowed his head. “Thank you, My Lord.”
“And Captain Savrin?”
“We have him, as you requested, Master. He awaits your attention in the dungeons. If you’d like, I can have him put into a cell until you are ready for him.”
Kevlane shook his head. “No, Caldwell. That will not be necessary. I had best see to Captain Savrin immediately. If he is as good of a swordsman as I have heard, then we might create something very special, he and I. Besides,” he said, glancing once more at the tournament grounds, “before long, I will have more than enough work to keep me busy.”
***
Aaron stood on the castle’s balcony staring out at the city below, its building and people cloaked in a blanket of night. He’d spent most of the day since he and the others had returned listening to Leomin recount the events that had occurred in Baresh. Then Adina had described what had taken place in Galia. After that, they had spent the next several hours deliberating on their best course of action, the two crime bosses arguing and disagreeing with each other at every opportunity.
He was exhausted, not just physically but mentally as well. Yet the thought of going to sleep, of closing his eyes on the world while Kevlane and those who served him prepared an army greater—and more terrible—than any Telrear had ever seen gave him a panicked feeling. Gods, but it’s too much, he thought.
You will do no one any favors by killing yourself with worry, Aaron, Co said.
No, I won’t, he agreed. Besides, there are plenty of people out there who’d feel cheated if I did.
Once, long ago, when my father possessed little more than a band of a hundred soldiers, I snuck into his and my mother’s room. I heard the same sort of doubt in his voice then as I hear in yours now. He was a man whose hopes for the world were matched only by his fears for it. Yet with those hundred men he was able to create a kingdom where people could live their lives in peace, protected from those who would break into their houses and murder them for no other purpose than the enjoyment of it.
Your father was a
great man, firefly.
Yes. He was. And so are you.
Aaron snorted. I’d have to disagree with you there, firefly. Anyway, you’re forgetting one thing, he thought, doing what he could to convey compassion in his thoughts, your father died, in the end. He was conquered, his city brought low, and those people he had sworn to protect all murdered along with him.
Yes, the Virtue said, and then they settled into silence. After a few minutes, Aaron heard the door open behind him and turned to see Adina walking outside to him, and despite all of his worries, his fears, he could not help but admire her beauty in the moonlight. “I thought I’d find you out here,” she said, coming to stand beside him at the balcony’s railing.
“Everything seems so small from up here,” he said, turning to look back out at the city, “all the problems we face, the enemies who want to see us destroyed…nothing but tiny little specks, no bigger than grains of sand.” He grunted. “And no less numerous.”
“Perhaps our enemies are numerous,” Adina said, putting her hand on his shoulder, “but so, too, are our friends, Aaron.”
Aaron sighed. “Grinner and Hale, do you mean? If we somehow managed to defeat Kevlane, Adina, one of those crazy bastards would be next in line for my head.”
She smiled, running a hand across his face. “And such a pretty head it is, too. Anyway, you don’t have to worry. I’ll protect you.”
Aaron barked a laugh. “That so?”
“You would be surprised what I can do, if I have to,” she said. “Only ask Captain Gant. He has been training me, after all.”
“A real warrior then, are you?” Aaron asked, smiling.
She grinned too, slapping him on the arm, then suddenly her face sobered, her expression growing dark, and Aaron didn’t have to use the power of the bond to know what she was thinking. She had, after all, told them of how she’d been forced to kill the man, Raste. “It wasn’t your fault, Adina,” he said softly, turning her to face him, “you did what you had to. That’s as much as any man or woman can do.”
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