Walking The Razor: A Montague & Strong Detective Novel

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  “She marked you,” Monty said, keeping his voice low, “really marked you.”

  “You plan on talking all day?” I said, letting the silver mist of Ebonsoul flow into my hand. “Let’s get to the killing.”

  “Indeed,” he said with a smile. “Let’s.”

  TWENTY-NINE

  Monty wasn’t a typical mage.

  Most of the mages I met were heavy on the casting and light on the physicality. They spent all of their time becoming runically strong, neglecting the other, just as important, aspects of being a mage.

  In a non-magical fight, I could break most of them with a few well-placed strikes. There were a few exceptions to this; Dex was built like a small wall and just as tough. LD and TK were scary strong in every regard, magically and physically. That left Monty.

  Monty was a battlemage.

  He was the only mage I knew who walked around with a pair of wailing blades—though his uncle, who carried a shrieking battle-axe-and-mace hybrid, was similar.

  There was something seriously off about the Montague family.

  Monty realized early on that he needed to be strong, both physically and mentally. My training sessions with Master Yat were always torture, and while I understood the significance of the training, Monty reveled in it. He actually enjoyed our training with Yat, pushing it to three, sometimes even four hours of non-stop punishment.

  Battlemages are trained to stand and die. Dex’s words whispered in my memory.

  This fight was going to hurt.

  “Can’t use your finger wiggles on me,” I said, sliding into a defensive stance. “No melting magic for you.”

  “And you can’t use your gun.”

  “Guess we have to do this the old-fashioned way, slice and dice,” I said. “I’ve always thought the blade a superior weapon. It forces you to get up close and personal.”

  “You’re going to regret coming here, Simon,” he said, hefting his swords. “I take no pleasure in ending you.”

  “Haven’t ended me yet,” I said, and beckoned him closer with my free hand. “Let me see you try.”

  The ploy was simple. Monty was an excellent mage, but he was still a mage. They all had fragile egos and identity issues. The buttons were all there, I just needed to know where to push. With Monty, I was going to have to fight dirty.

  He slid in with a lightning-fast lunge. I parried the thrust and backpedaled, deflecting the overhead slash from his second weapon. His blades began to intensify, their wailing and take on a blue glow.

  I slid in with a front kick to his midsection, causing him to twist his body as I slashed horizontally across his thigh. He brought down his sword before I could connect, but I managed to slice through his pants leg.

  I smiled, knowing how much he hated having his suits ruined.

  “This will be the last suit you ruin,” he said, moving back and glancing at his leg. “You’ve cost me a fortune in clothing alone.”

  The complaint sounded like the Monty I knew, but I wasn’t here to be nice. I was here to get my friend back. I needed him off-balance. I needed to create an opening and cut him with Ebonsoul.

  “That wailing sound your blades make,” I said as we circled, “is that the sound you made when your parents abandoned you at the Golden Circle?”

  His expression darkened. Button one pressed.

  “You know nothing of my past,” he said, closing the distance. “I’d suggest you desist from trying to guess.”

  “I’m all scared, now,” I scoffed. “What happens if I don’t? You’ll kill me? I think we’re past that point in the conversation.”

  “Unlike you,” he said, slashing at my head, forcing me to duck and roll to avoid the thrust from the second blade, “I have friends, a family. What do you have? A hellhound who will eat you out of house and home?”

  “Family? You don’t have family or friends,” I corrected. “Remember? They’re all trying to kill you? You have no one…you’re alone.”

  I could feel the anger and confusion roil off him. Button two pressed.

  “Which is why I need to eliminate you all,” he said, pressing his attack.

  Two blades cut across the air as I fell on my back, avoiding the attack. I kicked out, connecting with his shin. I drew Grim Whisper, and managed to shoot one of the Sorrows out of his hand as he fought for balance.

  The wails from the remaining sword began to increase in volume. The blue energy around the blade intensified. Getting cut by that blade looked like a bad idea. He rolled back and into a defensive stance.

  He started gesturing.

  “I told you, your finger wiggles aren’t going to work against—”

  I never finished the sentence. A stone from the collapsed wall slammed into my back, knocking the wind out of my lungs and shoving me forward. I managed to raise Ebonsoul in time to parry a thrust, which placed me in the perfect position to block a right cross with my face.

  I spun around and took a few steps back, but Monty pressed his advantage. More stones flew at me. I managed to dodge a few as he surgically cut at me. He wasn’t smiling now. His expression was cold and hard, harder than the stones hitting me.

  The now non-glowing Sorrows managed to cut through my shield, but Kali’s curse healed my wounds nearly as fast as he created them.

  “I don’t need magic to end you,” Monty said, slicing across my wrist and flinging Ebonsoul to the side. “You’re weak, pathetic, and hopeless.”

  I slid back away from him and rolled to my feet. I had one last button to press, and I hated myself for it.

  “You didn’t run away from the Golden Circle, be honest,” I jeered, while stepping into the cold lake of energy around me. The ambient energy of the Sanctuary was an explosion of power as I tapped into it. The arctic sensation nearly stole my breath as I aligned with the energy. “Tristan Montague, one-man demolition crew. You destroy everything and everyone you touch. That’s why Roxanne wants nothing to do with you. You’re toxic. Why don’t you surrender to the darkness already, you bloody coward? The world would be better off without you; at the very least, more of it would remain intact.”

  Rage transformed his expression, and I saw him make the choice. He would use everything and anything to destroy me in that moment. I extended my hand and willed Ebonsoul into mist as I closed the distance, letting the power in the totem flow freely.

  The ring began to glow as Monty raced at me, enraged. If this didn’t work, I was out of options.

  Silver mist raced into my hand as I reformed Ebonsoul. Monty had created a nasty-looking black-and-red orb of energy, but it was too late. I was too close. I buried Ebonsoul in his midsection as the golden light from the ring exploded in my hand, enveloping Monty. He released the orb into my chest and launched me across the courtyard.

  I slammed head first into the courtyard wall before the golden light around Monty blinded me.

  THIRTY

  “Is he dead?” I heard a familiar voice say in the distance. “Where’s Farsight? He looks like warm roadkill, that’s for sure.”

  “I’m sure he will wish he was dead, once he comes to.”

  The second voice was familiar, too.

  LD and TK.

  “You think that energy surge was Tristan?” LD asked as I opened my eyes and saw his face in my field of vision. “Hey, you’re back. Congratulations on not dying, hombre.”

  “The day is still young,” TK said. “Who fired off the beacon?”

  “Beacon? What beacon?” I asked, trying to sit up and failing when the ground around me tilted and then flipped. I laid my head on the ground again and closed my eyes. “Stop the ride, I want to get off.”

  I opened my eyes again and peeked, hoping I was imagining all of this, and that I was back at the Moscow, waking up from a horrible dream. TK looked down at me and raised an eyebrow.

  “Do you intend to fight while lying on your back?” she asked.

  “Fight? I just fought Monty.”

  She looked over to where Monty l
ay, unconscious. LD had gone over to him and was gesturing over his body. Light gray runes, almost white, were descending onto Monty’s body.

  “That…wasn’t a fight,” TK said, gesturing as golden runes floated over to me. “That was closer to a clash. One that let everyone know where you were.”

  “Monty?” I asked, concerned. “Is he…?”

  “He’ll be fine, but he won’t be able to deal with Evers in his current condition,” TK said, extending a hand and helping me to my feet. “She is coming.”

  “What happened?” I asked, still unsettled. “All I remember is stabbing him with Ebonsoul, and then the ring went off.”

  “You pushed him back from the schism; it was more like a very violent shove,” TK said, narrowing her eyes at me. “You, on the other hand, have just stepped into a world of pain. Kali’s mark is all over you.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means you’d better learn to use whatever newfound abilities you have,” TK answered. “Your count of enemies has just increased…exponentially.”

  “Why would I think her mark would help me?”

  “Because you were concerned about Tristan,” TK said, almost gently. “But you must always be wary of gifts from gods. There is always a fine print, trust me.”

  I nodded.

  “Evers,” I said, thinking about the immediate threat. “Can we stop her?”

  “We?” TK asked with a slight smile. “You intend to confront a chronomancer?”

  “If she intends to hurt Monty…yes.”

  “She is a war mage, like Tristan, but deadlier,” TK answered. “He was holding back. Some part of him, despite the fact that he was in a schism, didn’t want to harm you.”

  “If that was him holding back, I don’t want to see him cut loose,” I said, remembering the stone massage he subjected me to while slicing away at me. “He’s stronger now. Way stronger.”

  TK nodded as LD approached.

  “I stabilized him, but we can’t leave him here. Dex is busy maintaining the gate. I’m taking Tristan to Fordey until this is over. He can’t fight anyway; he’ll be a liability. Evers will shred him in seconds.”

  “Wait,” I said, looking at TK. “I thought you were tracking Evers. How are you here before her?”

  “The energy you released acted like a signal to those strong enough to perceive it,” TK answered. “If we sensed it, rest assured that Evers and Talin have sensed it as well.”

  “Like a bat-signal?” I asked. “I have my own Strong-signal?”

  “Well it’s good to see you haven’t suffered any further brain damage,” TK said. “It took considerable energy and weaving to get here. Dex is…creative in his gates, but I’ve dealt with them in the past. Evers has not. That inexperience will slow her down, but it won’t stop her.”

  “Probably alerted some other heavy hitters, too,” LD said, looking at me. “Your life just became more interesting. Erik is having some words with Farsight.”

  “Jessikah needs training and exposure, or she won’t last long on the streets, in her condition.”

  “Condition?”

  “Extreme narrow-mindedness, with a sprinkle of mage elitist attitude.”

  “That describes most mages,” LD said with a nod. “I think the Hellfire will be good for her. She needs to strap in and wake up. Safer for her, too.”

  “Monty thought Dex was setting him up,” I said. “He thought Dex wanted him dead.”

  LD glanced at TK and shook his head.

  “Good thing Dex wasn’t here to hear that insanity,” LD answered. “Tristan was in a schism. He wasn’t thinking properly. The push and pull is hell on the mind. Many mages don’t recover.”

  “Don’t recover?”

  “They slip into darkness,” TK said, “or their mind remains in the state of schism. They grow stronger, but the power is unregulated. It burns bright, then burns out.”

  “Like a star?”

  “Like a collapsed star which then produces a supernova,” TK answered. “It never ends well.”

  “Will Monty make it?” I asked, concerned. “Is his mind okay?”

  “He will,” LD said, certain. “Many mages don’t recover from a schism at his level, but none of those mages were stabbed by your blade, either. You probably saved his life, if not his mind—not that he will ever admit it.”

  I nodded.

  “He is a Montague, after all,” I said. “I think he’d drink a mug of Death Wish coffee and eat a pastrami sandwich before admitting I saved him.”

  LD clapped me on the shoulder and chuckled.

  “Got that right,” he said. “On my way back to Fordey, I’ll let Dex know you’re still among the living.”

  “Wait, what?” I asked, confused. “You’re leaving? Evers and Talin are on their way here to erase us.”

  “I know,” LD said. “That’s why TK is staying. There is a plan…trust us.”

  “Are you sure we can’t get more of the Ten? No offense, TK, but Evers unleashed some nasty time orb at me, and Talin managed to survive clashing with Grey in his scary sword-goddess form.”

  “I’m aware,” TK said. “Grey was fatigued from a mission with your vampire, and Evers…well, leave Evers to me.”

  “You’re in good, if terrifying, hands, hombre. I trust TK with my life and have on many occasions.”

  “Because to choose otherwise would be fatal,” TK said, with a small, fearsome smile. “You need to get going, before Evers and company arrive.”

  “You’re right, as usual,” LD said. “Talin was the first, but Evers has been busy. He won’t be the last she recruits to her cause.”

  “There’s more of them out there?” I asked. “How many?”

  “You’ll be fine, hombre,” LD said, reassuring me. “And if not…well, you’ll be dead and it won’t matter, right?”

  “What kind of mage motivational school do all of you go to?” I asked, surprised. “Cheerful nihilism? Every mage pep talk I’ve gotten sucks.”

  “Mages don’t do cheerful, we do realism,” LD answered, as he headed over to where Monty lay. “We see things as they are, not as we want them to be.”

  He gestured, gave TK a look and a smile, and vanished in a gray teleportation circle with Monty. TK turned to me and nodded.

  “Let’s get you ready.”

  THIRTY-ONE

  “I’m not a mage.”

  “And you never will be. Stop stating the obvious,” TK answered, narrowing her eyes at me. “What you are, besides mildly irritating, is a dangerous unknown with potential.”

  “Can you fight Evers?”

  “Of course,” TK said, and I felt relieved. “Fighting her is not the issue. Beating her is.”

  My relief evaporated.

  “Can you beat her?”

  “Given time and preparation,” TK said, looking around the Sanctuary. “Yes. Unfortunately, we have neither. This will be…a challenge.”

  At this point, the little voice in my head, which had been so brave up to this moment, jumped off the balcony of my mind and wished me well.

  “What do I need to do?”

  “Listen while remaining silent. Are you capable of this?”

  “Yes, if it means walking away from this in one piece.”

  “Good,” TK said. “I’ve had my doubts about your coping mechanism. Sarcasm is a skill best used sparingly.”

  “Someone has to point out the absurdity of my life.”

  “Emphasis on, sparingly.”

  “I was shoved into this entire world of mages, runes, magic, and monsters against my will.”

  “And?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Are you looking for pity? Do you suppose your situation is unique, that you are somehow special?”

  “No.”

  “Do you need a moment to weep about your ill-fate at discovering this world by force? Are you harboring regrets?”

  “No,” I said, after some thought. “I don’t regret it at all. My life may be unreal and insane, but I don
’t regret a second of it.”

  “Then start acting and speaking like it,” TK answered. “You’re a cursed immortal. A certain amount of gravitas is fitting—at least, in this present situation.”

  “I promise to age,” I said, “but I will never grow up.”

  “You’re incorrigible,” she said with a sigh, “but it may be that your way of being is exactly what Tristan needs in his life, especially now, while dealing with this schism.”

  “I inject much needed levity into our dire situations,” I said. “Plus, I’m still getting used to all of this.” I waved an arm around. “Mages, runes, and gods aren’t exactly what I would call a normal day…before I met Monty.”

  She nodded.

  “True, you are still relatively new to this world, barely scratching the surface of the darkness it contains,” TK answered. “It’s not like you’re in service to the most fearsome goddess in creation, who then tasks you with carrying out assassinations in her name, right?”

  “You were an assassin?”

  “What exactly did you do in Shadow Company?”

  “Does everyone know about my past?”

  “Everyone who matters, yes.”

  “My background was scrubbed, or so I was told.”

  “Then humor me, what did you do?” TK asked again. “Were you the designated coffee boy?”

  “No,” I said, knowing she knew what I was about to say. “I was a dead-eye in the Shadows. I handled personnel retirements…permanent ones.”

  “We all have a past, Simon,” TK said, heading over to the main temple. “The key is to not let the past define you. I worked with Badb Catha. It was equal parts thrilling and horrific. I did it for several lifetimes. I became very good at what I did—so good, in fact, that she allowed me to leave her side…alive. Others were not as fortunate.”

  “Understood,” I said with the realization that TK was even more of a badass than I had previously thought, and sat in a different dimension of fearsome than I had imagined. “That would explain her presence at Monty’s reckoning.”

  “Yes, among other things,” TK said. “If I had fallen at the reckoning, she would have made sure it was the last time I fell.”