by TR Cameron
Usha chuckled. “Always the devil’s advocate, aren’t you? Because right is right and bending the rules to the breaking point isn’t necessarily ethical in every situation.”
She laughed. “So what’s your plan now?”
The other woman sighed and shrugged. “Fix my house up. Maybe open a bar here.”
The door opened again and Ozahl stepped through. Danna smiled. “Nah. The boring life wouldn’t suit you. What if I had a better idea?”
Her ex-boss raised an eyebrow. “I’d listen.”
Introductions went more or less as Danna had expected. The first reaction—to meeting her boyfriend—was polite and welcoming. The second—to the information that he was their mole inside the Zatoras—was greeted with far more suspicion and required them to gloss over some of the details, especially those involving actions against the Atlantean gang.
By the time they moved to the third revelation, she felt a pause was in order. She guided the conversation around to stories of growing up in New Atlantis while they ordered food and devoured it, each of them seemingly famished. Or maybe we’re all eager to get to what comes next. When a tray of desserts to share arrived, the moment of truth came with it.
She cleared her throat. “So, about that better idea.”
Usha nodded. “Is this something you two cooked up together?”
Ozahl smiled. “It’s been simmering for a long time. While she was loyal to you, I was disloyal to…well, everyone in preparation for the end game. We’re now on the cusp of the final act.”
“I wanted to tell you for the longest time, but I couldn’t,” his partner added. “We both know you needed to chart your own path. Only now, when we’ve all wound up at the same place in the same moment, is it possible for me to finally share.”
The woman sighed. “I understand but doesn’t mean I like it. It makes me feel kind of stupid if I’m honest. But let the past stay in the past. What’s your play?”
She grinned. “We’ll become nobles.”
Her former leader—it still sounds weird—laughed, then frowned. “Wait. You’re serious?”
Ozahl nodded. “As a lightning bolt to the eye.”
“How?”
Danna took a bite of the chocolate cake that was set before her and vaguely noticed the many ways in which the subtle differences between Atlantean cuisine and surface food manifested. In this case, it was an edge of sea salt she wouldn’t have expected. She followed it with several sips of coffee while she put her thoughts in order and lowered the cup. “There are two possibilities. First, Leblanc loses and we swoop in to take her house.”
Usha laughed grimly. “It’s not all that likely, I’ve come to believe.”
“Yeah. Betting against her seems like a bad idea. So we’re working another angle. Ozahl has met with Tanyith, the one who’s fought alongside her the longest. They’ve agreed to work together against the Malniets.”
“Who will doubtless cheat all the way to the battle.”
Her boyfriend laughed. “Who are already cheating and would continue to do so probably from beyond the grave if they could learn how to.”
“The goal is to weaken Styrris’s position from the shadows,” Danna continued, “and when the outcome of the fight is known, move on whichever house is weaker.”
“Or both.” Usha said it like she’d been involved in the planning from the beginning.
Ozahl clapped briskly. “Exactly. Or both. Damn, it’s good to finally talk to you in person. Danna said so much amazing stuff about you that it was hard to believe it, but I see it’s all true.”
The other woman flashed a quick smile at him before she returned her gaze to Danna. “So, you’re asking me to be a part of this endeavor? To work for you?”
She shook her head. “To work with us. If we only score one house, you’ll be the third most powerful within it after the matriarch and her husband.”
Her partner barked a laugh. “You mean after the patriarch and his wife.”
“He’s having trouble accepting reality.” She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, third. But if we get two houses, the other one is yours, free and clear.”
Usha sounded doubtful. “Just like that?”
Her friend spread her hands wide. “Just like that. We don’t want to be separated anymore. We’ve already spent enough time apart to last a lifetime. And any new family will need allies.”
Her ex-boss leaned back and sampled her dessert, a custard Danna was unwilling to try because it involved seaweed, and remained quiet for more than a minute. In the interim, she sensed her boyfriend’s desire to speak but stopped him with a glance. The Champion of New Atlantis needed to make this decision on her own with no more persuasion than she’d already been given if she was to fully buy in. Danna knew this because aside from Ozahl, Usha was the best friend she’d ever had. She waited and felt like her entire life hung in the balance.
Finally, the woman spoke. “How far outside the rules will we go?”
Danna expelled a relieved breath at the use of the word “we.” “All the way.”
“We’ll remove as many Malniets as possible,” Ozahl added, “and as many of the people who might fight for them as we can find. The family members can choose between exile or death as they pose a threat to us later. Those who can be bought, we’ll lock up until after the battle. They won’t like it but they’ll come around after we pay them out of the Malniets’ accounts once they’re gone.”
“That plan doesn’t work if Leblanc is the one who loses,” Usha replied.
She shook her head. “Actually, it kind of does. That’s the two-house scenario. Even if Malniet wins, they’ll be so reduced by our actions that they’ll be ripe for a takeover. We’ll move on Leblanc first and take Malniet on again while they’re weak.”
The other woman nodded. “You’ve planned this carefully.”
“We have,” the man replied. “For a long time. And it will work.”
A frown crept onto Usha’s face as she stared at her. “So I guess the only question is whether I can trust you now that I know you’ve been lying to me all along.” A chill ran through Danna in the instant before her former boss smiled. “I’m screwing with you. I’m in. Let’s kick Malniet ass and show the noble houses how a life of privilege makes you vulnerable.”
She didn’t add the words, but Danna sensed them nonetheless. And let’s show Empress Shenni too.
Chapter Nineteen
It was the second night since Aiden Walsh—no, damn it, Ozahl—had come out of hiding and convinced him that they had a common enemy. The two of them had sealed their partnership by capturing and detaining a couple of potential Malniet champions. Tanyith had worked at the tavern the previous evening, and the new arrangement had time to work on his subconscious to change his perspective from grudging acceptance to outright enthusiasm.
So what if it serves whatever purpose he wants? It also helps protect Cali and gets me the payback I so richly deserve. It’s win-win-win all around. He stepped through the portal onto the New Atlantis dock with a spring in his step he immediately subdued lest his freedom from the effects of the sinister spell be noticed. At least one of the runners at the docks would be a Malniet watchdog. When he’d sent the request for a meeting to those who doubtless still believed they were extorting him, he assumed they’d probably have eyes on him from the start. Which is why I finished all my planning beforehand.
He was dressed inconspicuously in jeans, a t-shirt, a leather coat, and work boots. The outward appearance concealed the daggers hidden along his spine, one for a top draw a little below the collar of his jacket and the other at the bottom, ready to be pulled from his lower back. If they took his coat, he still had his magic and his reinforced footwear. On the surface, both Kendra and Sienna were on guard, as were those acting as their security details, and would be until the situation with the Malniets was resolved.
And tonight will be a big step in accomplishing that highly rewarding task. He wandered the short route from the docks
to the Privateer Pub, pretended to have the weight of the world on his shoulders, and kept his head down and his pace slow as if he was reluctant to arrive. When he finally reached the restaurant, he stepped inside and walked to the bar. The same man with the impressive mustache who’d been there the previous time stood behind the curved wooden surface. Tanyith beckoned him to lean over so he could speak privately.
“You seem like a good sort, so I’ll give you a heads up. The folks in the back probably aren’t pleased with me.” The flat expression he received in return confirmed that they were there and that they were being their usual disagreeable selves. “You might want to relocate the people closest to that section. Actually, if you wanted to be real smart, you should get everyone out of here as quietly as possible.” The other man’s gaze flicked toward the door to the back room, and he shook his head to warn him. “It’s too late to alert them unless you’re telepathic. But you don’t look like a true believer, merely someone who is stuck providing a service they’d rather not sully their hands with. So, take care of yourself and your customers. Clear out.”
The bartender nodded and moved to the far end of the bar where the pass-through was located. Tanyith turned and strode to the back. The man might still try to intervene, but that wouldn’t be very smart. He scanned the patrons. Among them were only four seated alone, three men and a woman. Ozahl could be any of them, based on his proficiency with disguise. While the two in the rear room could pose a challenge for him without backup, the addition of his new ally should mean much better odds. He might have had a qualm about killing them but frankly, the combination of their actions and their status as an ongoing threat to him and his friends earned them whatever they got.
He reached the door, took a deep breath, and yanked it open. Finding a third person present was unexpected but not a concern since he had additional support as well. The blonde woman sat in the seat closest to him. Her face was even more freckled than he recalled, and she wore a sleeveless top that revealed her hard muscles. It was a good disguise for the level of magical prowess she possessed, given her ability to plant a spell on him.
The man he recognized was beside her and his goatee and mustache looked even wilder than they had before. Maybe he’s trying to hide the divots in his face. Their new friend leaned back in his seat with expensive-looking boots on the table. He had an air of confidence about him and was dressed in a trim button-down shirt and fashionable trousers. The three looked like worker bees joined by a manager bee. He turned his attention to the one he hadn’t met yet. “Who are you?”
The stranger took his feet off the table and rose. He stood a couple of inches taller than him and seemed to expect that his height would be seen as intimidating based on his expression. Unimpressed, Tanyith shrugged and waited quietly until finally, the other man said, “That’s not important. What is important is whether you’ve done as you were told. We’re tired of waiting.”
“You mean you and your friends here?” He gestured at the two he’d dealt with before.
“Don’t be a smart guy. Did you burn the club?”
“Yeah. Just before I came here. I used gasoline all around the outside. It went up like a matchbook.”
The seated man shook his head. “You don’t smell like smoke or gasoline.”
Tanyith responded with a thin smile. “I’m sorry. If I’d known that was your preferred choice of perfume, I would have put some on. I subcontracted the job. I’m not an idiot.”
A grunt issued from the standing man. “That remains to be seen. And the council?”
“I already gave you all I have except for one thing. They’re ticked off and they will step into the void the gang left behind to make sure no one messes with the city. New Atlantis is done there.”
Another grunt followed. “That also remains to be seen. And the last part? It doesn’t seem like you did as you were told from what I hear.”
Tanyith shrugged. “Cali wouldn’t have lost that fight, no matter what I did. She was too well prepared. So I’ll do it when it matters—if I have to.”
The woman chuckled. “Oh, you have to. If you want your little women to be safe.”
He made a shooing motion toward her but kept his gaze locked on the big man. “Quiet. The boss here is talking. Also, I didn’t get your name, boss. Or should I simply keep calling you boss?”
With a sigh, the man opposite him shook his head. “You’re way too clever for your own good. Maybe we need to teach you a lesson. Kill one of the girls you love.”
“Yeah, a lesson.” He sighed. “That makes sense.” He raised his hands and discharged a line of lighting spread wide enough to encompass all three of them. The sudden appearance of a shield separating them from him wasn’t a huge surprise. The powerful blast of force that hurled him through the surface behind him was.
Fortunately, the thin wall was decorative rather than structural. He struck a table, which promptly flipped and dumped him onto the floor. Because he’d been ready for some kind of reaction, he was able to make sure his hands touched first and protected his skull as he landed. He scrambled sideways to avoid any incoming blasts but none appeared.
Carefully, he rose and drew his daggers. The three used the doorway to enter the conspicuously empty main room. The big man nodded. “So. You planned this. Your women die tonight.”
Tanyith shook his head. “I don’t think that’ll be as easy as you imagine. But you’ll never know, of course, since you won’t leave this place alive.” He turned to the woman, who looked slightly confused. “Yeah, that spell is long gone so you can quit trying.”
The other man who’d been irritating from the start opened his mouth to speak and he hurled a dagger at his face. The man yelped and conjured a shield barely in time to avoid swallowing the weapon involuntarily. Tanyith charged the woman and a burst of magic issued from the far corner of the room as Ozahl stepped out from behind a veil. The shadow blast struck the big man in the head and he fell instantly. Surprise attacks are always handy.
His adversary hurled a ball of flame, and he ducked hastily enough that it only singed him. The smell of burning hair was nauseating, and he managed a better effort to avoid the second one as he surged toward her. He stabbed forward with the blade in his right hand, but she responded with a shockingly fast crescent kick that knocked his attack off-target. Her other foot rocketed at his head and he had to dive to the side to dodge it. He pounded into the top of a table, rolled off, and found his feet quickly enough to evade the next baseball-sized orbs of fire she threw at him.
He tasted smoke and realized the structure had caught fire. Ozahl traded shots with the other Malniet, who remained upright beyond the woman. A serpentine path connected Tanyith with her position, and he raced along it and raised a shield to protect him from the next three fireballs she launched at him. He feinted as if to drive into her and she moved slightly to clear his approach to the other enemy. The man didn’t realize he was there until his dagger dug into the back of his neck and unstrung his limbs, and he sagged into an untidy heap.
Tanyith twisted and raised a shield in the direction of the woman, but she stared at her chest in shock. A piece of wood from the wall protruded from it, presumably because Ozahl had used telekinesis to skewer her. She sank to her knees, still looking confused, and fell onto her side.
He glanced at the big man, the first one to fall. “Is he alive?”
His ally shook his head. “Nope. I had a lucky shot. His head was turned the right way—or the wrong way, depending on your perspective.”
A hasty glance at the smoldering wood refocused him. “I guess we’d better get out of here before the place falls on us.” He bent to retrieve his thrown dagger and headed to the exit.
Ozahl climbed over broken tables and met him at the door. “You know, I used to like this bar despite the name.”
Tanyith laughed. “I can see that. Too bad it wound up infested by vermin.”
They stepped outside and his companion sighed. “That’s an excel
lent step toward our goal. Time to gather friends and take another one. Are you still in?”
He nodded. “Are you going after Malniets?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’d say our shared interests continue,” he replied with a grin.
Chapter Twenty
The mage was quietly pleased as he led Cali’s friend to a different part of the outer ring where he and Danna had taken an abandoned building as their own. Spaces didn’t stay empty for long in the domed city, but there had been a death with no immediate family and things were a little up in the air at the moment. He assumed they had a week, tops, but they wouldn’t need all of it.
Because after the battle between Leblanc and Malniet on Saturday night, we’ll have a better house. A noble one. He’d skimmed cash from the Zatoras as a sideline to his other activities with and for them and had built up enough of a nest egg that they’d be able to hire any mercenaries they needed to establish their claim when the moment came. It would take the rest of the nine some time to come to terms with the move, but he wasn’t worried. Once they were in, dislodging them would be virtually impossible. He’d ensure that it was.
Even though he trusted Tanyith, that trust extended only to the intersection of the ring road with a spoke near their temporary abode but no farther. The two women emerged from the shadows at their approach and he put a hand on the other man’s arm. “There’s no need to worry. They’re on my side, which means they’re on your side now. I’m not asking for forgiveness, only understanding and professionalism.”
Tanyith had stiffened at their appearance, and his nostrils flared as he processed the new information. Finally, he nodded and didn’t quite growl his response. “Shared interests.” The women were smart enough not to push and merely inclined their heads to acknowledge him.
“Are we good?” Danna asked.
Ozahl smiled. “Of course. We put a little pain on some of the stupidest beings ever to descend from the Malniet line. Honestly, I can’t imagine what they were thinking giving those three any task at all.” The comment made Tanyith chuckle, which was its intent. “So, what did you find?”
