Masters of Deception

by J C Kang

  “Of course.” The merchant dipped into a bow, then headed off with the giggling girl.

  Jie watched until he’d walked out of earshot, then turned to Cassius. “You have no idea who Odi is, do you?”

  Cassius searched her eyes for a moment, his expression inscrutable for those who couldn’t scrute.

  Jie could. Without a doubt, Cassius was just better at conning unwitting victims than the rest of the charlatans and fakes in this city. With a snort, she scanned the streets. “Where is the Orchid Fountain?”

  “Hurry up.” For the first time, in his own city, the great Diviner was taking the lead in finding his lost Mystic. He pulled his horse along, his long strides hard for her short legs to keep up with. The rush left little time to follow up on clues that flitted by.

  Several blocks and three turns later, they arrived at a circular plaza. An oily-looking youth hurried from one passerby to the next, pointing back at the skimpily-dressed young women huddled by the stone fountain in the center of the plaza. Predictably, it was shaped like a bearded orchid, with water pouring from between its petals. The connotation couldn’t be coincidental.

  The youth—Odi, no doubt—locked eyes on Cassius and approached. “The Great Diviner, Cassius Larusso. Let me tempt you with one of my orchids.”

  No doubt, Cassius weighed the loss of his reputation as a Diviner with his urgency to find Brehane. As amusing as it would be to watch his discomfit, Jie pushed forward. “Odi,” she said.

  “My, my, what a pretty little jewel we have here.” He reached for her chin.

  She seized his hand and twisted his wrist.

  “Ow, ow!” Odi buckled to his knees. “Let go!”

  Jie added more pressure, while grinding her thumb across the back of his hand to ignite flares of pain up and down his arm. “Aksumi. Where are they?”

  Eyes wide, Odi jerked his thumb repeatedly down one of the avenues which spiraled out of the circle. “De Lucca’s guest house. Five blocks that way.”

  Jie released him and started in the indicated direction.

  “I thought so, bitch,” Odi said under his breath, wringing his hand.

  She turned back and glared.

  He shriveled back.

  Satisfied, Jie beckoned Cassius along. Right where the street exited the avenue, drainage from the fountain had formed a mud patch. Wagon tracks passed through, as did huge bootprints, leaving a trail well into the pavestones. Not one block away, Brehane’s hair scent carried on the wind, just strong enough to pick out from the other smells.

  Several blocks up ahead, a dark-skinned male zigzagged through the streets, pausing every so often to look around at the surrounding two-story row houses. It wasn’t Dawit, and unless there were several Aksumi males roaming the streets, this was the missing Illusionist.

  He snarled as his eyes locked on a house between them.

  Jie followed his gaze.

  Besides the blue row house with fat hedges, nothing was there.

  Or was there? A blur…

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Being led around like a child by an impertinent half-elf, who resorted to violence, Cassius would consider himself lucky if the day ended with his reputation intact. Still, Brehane, the only woman who’d appreciated his magic and cooking more than his money, was worth it.

  He shook the silly, useless, sentimental thought out of his head.

  She was worth a good roll between the sheets. And the Teleri might offer him something more.

  Now all they had to do was find her, based on the extorted lead of a pimp, and said half-elf’s nose. He looked up at the heavens, where the sun still drowned out the dance of stars. He’d lied about Hunter Kor and the White Stag to the merchant to save his reputation, but it was true that their seats in the heaven would make Divining exceptionally taxing on his soul’s future.

  It wasn’t worth anything the Bovyans could offer.

  But maybe it was worth seeing her beam again as he Divined. Or even when he cooked.

  Closing his eyes and reaching for his cards, he took a deep breath of the Gods’ Whispers.

  “Cassius.” Jie shook him out of his process, tugging him toward the side of the street.

  The horse had other ideas, holding its ground.

  She motioned with jerks of her head.

  He looked in the indicated direction. An Aksumi male was waving his hands in circles, his lips making sounds that were too far away to hear. He pointed.

  Cassius followed the gesture.

  Brehane appeared out of thin air, huddled near a row house hedge, trembling. Her Mystic robe was smudged with dirt. She looked at her hands as if they didn’t belong there, and then back at the man.

  Cassius’ heart leaped into his throat. He jumped onto his horse and spurred it into a gallop.

  Ridiculous.

  Why was he doing this? She was just another con in a long list of them.

  The Aksumi man’s eyes locked on her. His grin widened.

  Brehane wobbled to her feet, hand outstretched. She barked out guttural syllables and pointed. Flames darted at the man, but he swept his hand up, dispersing the attack into a wall of fire.

  Dozens of passersby froze, pointing and chattering.

  Cassius was now just a half-block away. He drew his rapier and pointed it forward as if it were a spear.

  Brehane splayed her fingers and webs shot out. The strands passed through the man, and he dissolved into nothingness.

  Where had he gone? Cassius brought his horse between her and where the Mystic had been.

  “Cassius!” Brehane’s smile was as brilliant as a second sun.

  His heart pattered as he stretched his hand out. “Come on!”

  The spectators screamed.

  The horse reared, nearly throwing him.

  Dropping his sword, Cassius threw his arms around the horse’s neck. He looked back.

  The Mystic stood a few feet behind a lion. It prowled towards them, teeth bared in a snarl. It roared.

  Cassius blood froze. The beast must’ve escaped the colosseum. The rapier would be useless against such a monstrosity.

  The horse skittered back, despite his best attempt to control it. Citizens fled, shouting and screaming.

  “It’s not real,” Brehane yelled. “It’s an illusion.”

  Cassius shook his head. The beast’s mane rippled as it crouched low, ready to pounce. Its claws glinted in the sunlight. It even had a smell. It couldn’t possibly be fake.

  Brehane grunted out foul-sounding words and pointed. She crumpled to the ground.

  The lion blurred for a split second before regaining its shape.

  Cassius could only gawk. It was just an illusion!

  Now if only the horse would understand it. The poor animal reared again. Cassius’ balance lilted. He lurched to wrap his arms around—

  The ground rushed up. He slammed into it. Pain flared in his arm, hip, and head. He tried to draw in a breath, but just choked.

  Then the half-elf was there. She stared at the wide-eyed Mystic, right through the lion, which blinked out of existence.

  The man barked out more magic. Three of him appeared.

  Jie froze for a split second, but then cut-stepped to the far left’s flank. In the same motion, her dagger— which looked suspiciously familiar—cut through him, and he disappeared just like the lion had.

  Head spinning, Cassius clambered to his feet and staggered over to Brehane.

  Knees to the ground, she was bent over, head lolling.

  He looked over his shoulder.

  The Mystic was gone. Sniffing the air, Jie’s head raked back and forth.

  Chest squeezing, he turned back and brought an arm under Brehane. “Wake up!”

  Her eyes fluttered open. She leaned into him.

  Her body was so warm and soft. He brought his free hand up to brush the hair out of her face. “Are you all right?”

  “Exhausted.” She patted at her neck, where her crystal was missing. “Just exposing his illusion
drained me.”

  “I assume that was your missing friend?” He looked over his shoulder again, just in case the Mystic reappeared.

  “Clearly not a friend.” She flashed a feeble smile.

  His heart fluttered. Fluttered? Nonsense! It couldn’t be.

  Her expression stiffened. “He and Dawit kidnapped Makeda. We have to stop them before they take her to Arkos.”

  He swallowed hard. No wonder Dawit knew about the Teleri offer. Instead of playing along, he’d decided to collect some reward himself. Cassius rose, picking up Brehane as he did.

  “Why Arkos?” Jie asked. “Wouldn’t it be easier to deliver her to the Bovyans here?”

  “Low risk, low reward,” Cassius said. “In any case, we need to rescue her. Do you know where they are keeping her?”

  Brehane pointed down the street. “It was a row house, maybe two or three blocks away.”

  “We’ll need help.” His dagger in hand, Jie was sniffing the air. “Dawit killed several mobsters and destroyed the Acerbi headquarters with a single fireball. We’d never know where the Illusionist was, or if it was the real him if we did see him.”

  “Sameer could help,” Cassius said. “By now, the Bovyans have taken him to Signore De Lucca’s office.”

  Jie looked up at the Iridescent Moon. “I think you’re right. Luckily, it’s not far from here.”

  Cassius stared at her. “How do you know?”

  She snorted and pointed to the west. “How don’t you? We can’t be any more than a li away.”

  Cassius pursed his lips. A li could be a passus or a league. Somehow, Jie knew his city better than he. “I will talk to De Lucca, and negotiate for Sameer’s release.”

  Jie nodded. “I’ll get Prince Aryn’s marines from the Regent.”

  Chapter 28:

  Hunter Kor And The White Stag

  The Bovyans, Levastyans, and Altivorcs had not tried to stop Sameer as he fled out of De Lucca’s office. Thank the Thousand Gods that Paladin reflexes enhanced combat and not running, because his youth and longer legs kept him in front of Master Anish.

  If only Sameer knew where he was going. He sidestepped a cursing merchant, then side-slipped between a young couple. From the woman’s scream and the thuds to the ground, Anish must’ve barreled right through them. Sameer looked over his shoulder.

  Indeed, the traitor was disentangling himself from the man and woman, and picking himself up off the street. There might be a chance to escape!

  Sameer turned back.

  A horse-drawn carriage was crossing right in front of him.

  He dropped and skidded under the carriage, bruising his knees on the pavestones before rolling at the last second to avoid getting crushed by the wheels. Blowing out a breath, he jumped up and glanced back.

  Whatever ground he’d gained on Anish from the traitor’s crash, he’d lost it now. He resumed his sprint, dodging a street vendor pulling a cart of silverware, a juggler, and a pregnant woman.

  Where to?

  He had no money of his own, and De Lucca’s place wasn’t an option anymore.

  That left the Diviner, Cassius. Who knew where he was? Not like Sameer would know how to get there from here.

  A scream pierced the air from behind.

  “Sameer!” Anish barked.

  Sameer stole a glance over his shoulder.

  The turncoat had one arm wrapped around the pregnant woman’s neck, and his naga blade resting over her swollen belly. The featureless mask of a Golden Scorpion now covered his face.

  Escape, or surrender? It wasn’t even a question. Sameer skidded to a halt. The weight of defeat weighing on his shoulders, he hung his head. He turned and trudged back, resigned to his fate.

  “Still a Paladin.” Anish snorted. “You will be hard to convert, but convert you will.”

  Sameer looked up and glared. “Never.”

  Anish shoved the woman away and swung his blade.

  Time slowed just enough for Sameer to jump back. He swept his naga out in Anish’s path.

  Moving twice as fast, Anish twisted out of the way. His sword cut across Sameer’s shoulder.

  Pain flared there, and then again on his forearm. The offensive had come so fast, yet they hadn’t bitten deep. Only nicks. Another slash stung his other arm. Dodge and block as he might, he just couldn’t stop the flurry of attacks.

  Anish disengaged. “You are skilled, but not enough to fight a Master Scorpion. Not unless you let your emotions guide you.”

  Sameer took a deep breath and conjured an image of Elder Gitika in his mind. No, he wouldn’t surrender to emotions. The Vibrations were so strong here, stronger than on Ayudra Island where he’d trained. With calm, he could tap them to defeat this traitor. With another breath, they surged through him. The chatter of pointing onlookers melded in.

  Time slowed again as the naga swished at him. Slower than the last engagement, slow enough to evade. He slipped and ducked the next two slashes and chopped with his own blade.

  It missed his mark, and pain bit into his thigh, then his flank. Anish’s naga became a blur, nicking him in three more places.

  Anish stepped back and removed the mask. His lips tugged into a smirk. “Pathetic. Gitika thought so highly of your potential. She’d be so disappointed.”

  Holding the most painful of the wounds, Sameer took more deep breaths. He wouldn’t be goaded into anger.

  Anish moved like a blur as two somethings flashed in the sunlight in front of him. He turned.

  Sameer followed his eyes.

  Jie was charging in, knife in hand.

  Anish chuckled. “Your new friend? Watch her share Gitika’s fate.”

  No, others shouldn’t die. Sameer leaped in and chopped at Anish’s head.

  The master ducked under and swung at Jie.

  The half-elf stopped just out of range, and circled. Of course she was too smart to engage a superior fighter with a longer weapon.

  Sameer’s heart soared. Here was a chance to survive this. He just had to maneuver Anish so his back faced her. He took another deep breath and felt the Vibrations course through him.

  Anish’s naga swept in lazy arcs, baiting him.

  Pretending to take the bait, Sameer surged forward, but then sidestepped the traitor’s slash and countered with an attack of his own. Anish turned, his side exposed to Jie, but she was moving in slow motion in comparison. Sameer chopped again as he moved to a flanking position. Anish shifted again, his back now to the half-elf. Sameer pressed forward, pushing Anish back. His belly met the naga’s edge in a flare of pain.

  Jie’s stab travelled so slowly, as if she were moving through water. The tip was a hairbreadth away from the base of Anish’s neck.

  Anish spun away from both the dagger and Sameer’s upswing. His elbow smashed into Jie’s temple. She crumpled to the ground. He disengaged again, grinning. “Smart, boy. You almost had me.” His blade came down.

  Sameer swept his own into the path of the attack. The clang reverberated through his arms; but his forward surge pushed Anish back. For now, Jie was safe.

  Interposing himself between her and the traitor, Sameer held his stomach. The cut had severed the skin, but hadn’t reached muscle. A surgical strike, meant to inflict pain but not incapacitate. The traitor was just too powerful and skilled.

  It was hopeless. Sameer dropped to his knees, bent his head forward, and set his naga on the ground. “I surrender. Follow the prince’s orders and kill me, but spare Jie.”

  “Giving up so soon?” Anish snorted. “Don’t you want to know how I have Sohini’s hair?”

  Sameer looked up.

  That same infuriating grin crossed the traitor’s face. “Ah, you do. Well, De Lucca has been lying to you. We have Sohini tied up in one of his whorehouses. What you’ve wanted for years, I’ve tasted more times than you can imagine.”

  Fire raged in Sameer’s head. He snatched up his naga and lunged.

  The first chop nearly caught the traitor in the neck. Eyes wide,
the treacherous scum twisted out of the next blow. Blade clanged on blade as Sameer pressed into him. The cold that had pricked at the back of his neck had subsided, and the Vibrations felt so close, so easy to draw on.

  Panting hard, Anish shoved him back and held his blade at the ready. “You feel it, don’t you? The Paladin order has lied to you all this time, claiming that calm lets you feel the Vibrations. See? That training teaches you a detached objectivity. Justice, without feeling, because of some arbitrary code created by a fallible man just two centuries ago.”

  A lie! Face ablaze with anger, Sameer stared at his naga, which glowed a light blue as the Vibrations coursed through it. “Before the Oracle, we were nothing more than mercenaries. Using our gifts for our own selfish gain.”

  “You don’t need a code to use your gifts as you see fit. See? By following your emotions, you have overcome my block on your connection to the Vibrations.”

  Sameer raised his blade and started—

  “Stop.” Sohini’s voice crashed into him like a wave.

  All the heat drained from his face. Cool washed over him. How beautiful her voice was, even in Command. He’d almost forgotten what it sounded like. He turned.

  Wearing a dark cloak, Sohini strode down the street, both hands set in the mudra for calm. She looked more mature since they’d last met, but still beautiful. Long black locks framed her perfectly oval face and cascaded down her shoulders. Her deep brown eyes, so full of enthusiasm in the past, now bore a hint of sadness.

  Sameer could only gawk.

  Her eyes searched his. A smile formed on her lips for a split second. Then she shook her head. “Master Anish is baiting you. Don’t give in to your emotions. Not like I did.”

  Sameer gawked. It couldn’t be possible. Sohini was the most talented, most disciplined Paladin student in a generation. He shook his head. “You didn’t…you didn’t become one of them. Did you?”

  “I was close,” Anish said with a laugh. “I broke her, but not enough.”

  Relief washed over Sameer. Not all was lost.

  Studying his expression, Anish shook his head before turning to her. “I was worried the Diviner might find you.”

  “I hid by the Iron Avatar.”