Plague Arcanist (Frith Chronicles Book 4)

by Shami Stovall

  “The arcanists here like to foolishly defy the climate,” Karna-Theasin said in a matter-of-fact tone. “No matter the monetary or magical cost.”

  Karna’s dedication to Theasin’s character still impressed me. Even the gait—she walked in front of us, each step forceful and precise, just like the real man.

  I jogged to her—his?—side, examining the movements.

  “Have you ever met the real Theasin?” Karna-Theasin asked, his voice a perfect duplicate of Adelgis’s father.

  “I met him once,” I said. “He left an impression, that’s for sure.”

  Karna-Theasin narrowed his eyes. “I detest him.”

  If Adelgis heard, he made no indication. I worried because Adelgis always spoke highly of his father, but after the abyssal leech had been removed from his side, he had opted to just avoid the subject most of the time. The situation had to hurt, but I didn’t know what to say to him.

  “What exactly are we getting from these labs?” Karna-Theasin asked.

  “I need to find out where my father went after he left the city.” Adelgis crossed and uncrossed his arms, his restless movements making me nervous. “I’ll hear the thoughts of the other researchers and arcanists, but I also want to read any and all correspondences my father made while here. It shouldn’t take too long.”

  “Good. I don’t want to have this body for a second longer than necessary.”

  The day grew hotter and hotter, but thankfully, it didn’t take us long to reach the laboratory. I knew it immediately thanks to the signs, but also because of the tall, wrought-iron fence surrounding the massive plot of land around the building. The Grand Laboratories of New Norra were shaped like a U, with a fountain in the courtyard spraying precious water into the air.

  When we approached the gate, I straightened my posture and squared my shoulders, hoping we wouldn’t look out of place. One of the Watch Battalion stood at the entrance, his stone golem standing next to him.

  The man’s eyes widened when he got a good look at “Theasin.”

  “Artificer Venrover,” the watchman said. “You came by foot?”

  “Unfortunately,” Karna-Theasin replied, bite in his words. “Good help is hard to find these days, and I couldn’t wait for a street cart or carriage.”

  “Oh, I see. It must be important if you came straightaway.”

  “Obviously.”

  The watchman placed three fingers on his chest and then hurried to open the gate. His movements were shaky and a little uncoordinated, but he eventually opened everything up and motioned us in.

  “Welcome back, Artificer,” he said.

  Karna-Theasin strode in and passed the watchman without even a thank you. That was how I imagined Theasin would do it, but I still thought it was rude. I offered my own thanks as I passed the man, even if it garnered me an odd glance.

  We traveled the long walkway up to the front doors of the labs, the glitter of water from the fountain reminding me how dry my lips had become.

  The ornate double doors opened before we reached them. When we stepped inside, I took note of the non-arcanist servants who stood behind the doors. It seemed their sole responsibility was to open the entrance whenever someone approached. A dull profession, but I supposed it was easy.

  Cool air washed over us, billowing outward like a sigh of relief. It helped focus my thoughts.

  Stepping into the laboratory’s open reception room felt like stepping into a perfect painting. Somehow, the floors were immaculate—not a speck of sand nor scuff from a boot anywhere on the polished sandstone tiles. Scholars went about their business, but they, too, kept themselves unusually stiff, as though wrinkling their fine silk robes would result in punishment.

  A woman wearing the uniform of the Watch Battalion walked straight toward us, her steps betraying years of strict military training. Unlike the men outside, she possessed several additional pieces of copper armor, medals on her shoulder, and she carried a flintlock rifle. Her black hair had been cut at chin-length, and she wore no helmet.

  Her arcanist mark intrigued me. It was a star with a swirl of flame around the points, a faint face in the fire. A djinn. A rare type of desert creature who could hide itself, much like knightmares and ethereal whelks. They had flame-like bodies they could shift from corporeal to incorporeal.

  “This woman is Watch Commander Bashir,” Adelgis said, his telepathic voice echoing in my thoughts. Was he speaking to Karna as well? I hoped so. He continued, “The watch commander is concerned. Her thoughts are about my father. Apparently, he’s supposed to bring something back for her, and there’s no way he could’ve arrived at his destination and returned so quickly.”

  “Artificer Venrover,” Watch Commander Bashir said. She stopped a foot in front of us and touched three fingers to her chest. “This is most unexpected. Welcome back.”

  The interaction made me nervous. I wasn’t a master of subterfuge, and I hadn’t even considered the fact that there might be people monitoring Theasin’s movements for their own personal reasons. If we were discovered—especially inside the Grand Laboratories of New Norra—I suspected we would be arrested, perhaps worse.

  And once they found out I carried the plague, they would execute me without hesitation.

  “There are only two things in this world that continue to surprise me,” Karna-Theasin said. “Human stupidity and human incompetence. Unfortunately, both were at play when my assistant left valuable notes behind in my lab. I’m here to retrieve them. I understand this will put a delay in your delivery, but it couldn’t be helped.”

  I slowly turned my gaze, amazed at how smooth and effortless Karna acted out the scene. It was perfect, right down to the word choice.

  The watch commander eased her stance. “Ah. I see. Unfortunate for all of us, then. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.” She stepped out of the way and motioned for us to continue into the labs.

  A wisp of fire flashed around her shoulders—no doubt her djinn moving along with her—but it never manifested.

  Watch Commander Bashir didn’t bother acknowledging Adelgis or me. It seemed as though she considered us unimportant, or perhaps just accessories to Theasin’s work. Or better yet, Theasin’s ego overshadowed everything around him, making everything else trivial.

  We strode deeper into the laboratories, past the clean front room, through an arched doorway, and then into a long hallway. The only people inside were researchers and arcanists, all of whom wore the scholarly robes I had seen in the library. Most individuals had books or notes, but some carried the dead bodies of mystical creatures and a handful of star shards. The glittering gold of the shards caught my eye. If I were going to make a weapon with my father, I would need a few star shards of my own. They were the magical glue used to create permanent items.

  There were no windows. Light was provided by glowstones mounted to the walls. Their bluish-white hue made everything seem mystical, even the mundane artwork and tapestries of the desert.

  We came to a four-way intersection in the hall.

  “Where are we going?” Karna-Theasin muttered under his breath.

  Karna had behaved so confidently that I had forgotten she had never been here before.

  “Turn right,” Adelgis said telepathically. “Then at the next intersection, turn left. My father’s lab is at the end of that hall.”

  Although they were simple instructions, the building was larger than I had expected. It took us several minutes before we made it to the correct corridor.

  To my amusement, no one beyond the watch commander attempted to speak to Theasin. They all averted their gazes when we walked by, and a handful of people fled into rooms as though they had remembered something urgently important the moment they realized Theasin had arrived.

  The door to Theasin’s lab was just as ornate as the front doors and made of heavy redwood. The polished brass hinges were in the shape of dragons, similar to a relickeeper, the mystical creature to which Theasin was bonded.


  Karna-Theasin attempted to open the door, but it held shut.

  Locked.

  There was a keyhole, but we didn’t have the key…

  I met Adelgis’s gaze. Every moment we stood awkwardly in front of the door was a moment we could get caught. Theasin would never forget his keys, and if anyone asked, what were we going to say?

  Adelgis fidgeted with the sleeves of his shirt, his brow furrowed.

  I turned around and examined the hallway. Most everyone had left in the wake of Theasin’s return. Once the last researchers disappeared around the corner, I grabbed Karna and Adelgis.

  “Hold your breath,” I said.

  I had never taken two people with me when I shadow-stepped, but I figured traveling a few feet wouldn’t be too difficult. We slid into the darkness, slithered under the door, and then emerged on the other side, the cool sensation of the shadows a welcomed comfort.

  The instant I exited the void and took a breath, however, pain flared from my chest throughout my body, burning me unlike anything before. I cried out and hit my knees on the tile floor, my arms wrapped around my gut, my whole body trembling.

  What had happened? Was this a result of second-bonding with Luthair? Was it his incompatible magic?

  “Volke,” Adelgis gasped as he knelt next to me, his voice unsteady.

  “My arcanist.” Luthair emerged from the shadows, his full-plate armor clinking as he, too, knelt at my side. He touched his lightweight gauntlet to my back. “What happened?”

  I leaned forward, unable to speak as I bit back the pain. I pressed my forehead against the tile, sucking in breath through my teeth.

  Karna-Theasin walked off and returned with a damp cloth. He patted my neck and cheeks, the cool touch of water helping me to regain composure.

  “I’m fine,” I forced myself to say.

  Adelgis rubbed my shoulder. “Volke, why don’t you rest? I know my father well enough to know where he likely hid his notes.”

  After a shallow breath, I nodded, hoping I could recover in time to walk out of this place without being suspicious.

  Adelgis stood and then headed deeper into the lab. Karna-Theasin remained nearby. He massaged my shoulder, and if I were feeling well, I would’ve found the interaction distasteful. I couldn’t even imagine Theasin comforting his wife on her death bed—there was no way in the abyssal hells he would attempt to soothe my injuries.

  Luthair stayed by my other side. He even removed his cape and draped it over me. “Next time, allow me to slide under the door and unlock it.”

  I tried to offer a nod. The pain subsided, but slowly. My breathing returned to normal, and the agony in my intestines faded into a dull ache, like a sore muscle.

  Curse all the ships at sea—what had happened?

  After a few moments, I pushed myself to my feet and stood, my legs a little shaky.

  “Rest, my arcanist,” Luthair said.

  “It’s okay.” I used the damp cloth to wipe the sweat from my face. “It doesn’t hurt as much.”

  “I could’ve taken someone through the shadows. You don’t need to push yourself.”

  “I’m sorry. I hadn’t thought about it—I just wanted to get us in and out as fast as possible.”

  Luthair remained by my side as I took stock of our environment. The sprawling lab consisted of four rooms, though the doors between each had been removed, resulting in what felt like a large singular room with dividers.

  There were operating tables, one desk, three bookshelves, a glass container with jars inside, loose papers everywhere, a coat rack with several cloaks, and even postmarked letters on the countertops that lined the walls. Almost every surface had something, yet it didn’t feel disorganized, just cluttered—papers were kept clean, nothing was mixed haphazardly, and all writing utensils were stored in a single spot.

  How much work was Theasin doing here? There was enough research in this lab for a whole team of people.

  I kept Luthair’s cape close as I shuffled forward, determined to explore the area myself.

  Adelgis sifted through paperwork at an impressive pace. He glanced over the words and quickly determined whether something was relevant or not. Then he moved on to the next set of paperwork, his focus unbreakable.

  Karna-Theasin, on the other hand, approached the coat rack. I didn’t know why, and I didn’t ask. He just fidgeted with each piece of clothing.

  I examined the bookshelf-sized glass cabinet. Jars and vials sat within, each with strange contents. Eyeballs, thick black liquid, and even a few with eggs suspended in mucus. Were these mystical creature parts? Perhaps Theasin used these to create items?

  My attention went straight to something I had seen before.

  Two vials filled with sand. One was tan and the other was pink.

  I opened the cabinet, the squeak of the hinges causing me to cringe. Neither Adelgis nor Karna-Theasin seemed to care, and there was no way someone could have heard it outside of this lab, so I took a deep breath and calmed myself. With a shaky hand, I picked up the vials. The grains of sand shimmered in the light of the glowstones.

  Adelgis’s brother, Niro, had given me these types of sands in the past. He had said the tan sands healed the body, and the pink sands healed the soul. I had used the pink sand to help Adelgis recover from the ill effects of the abyssal leech, so I knew it worked. I just didn’t know why.

  “What’re those?” Karna-Theasin asked, though the cold edge to his voice was gone. He sounded more like the playful Karna, which made the interaction odd.

  “I don’t know what they are,” I muttered. “But I know they heal things.”

  “Like the arcane plague?”

  I hadn’t considered that, but I doubted it. My soul wasn’t injured, just infected. And Adelgis’s brother said the pink sand would kill someone who wasn’t injured.

  “I don’t think so,” I said.

  “A pity.”

  I wanted to take them—since they were so useful—but I couldn’t justify stealing from Theasin, even if I considered him unpleasant at best. I placed the vials of sand back into the glass cabinet.

  Curiosity got the better of me, though. I wandered over to the nearest operating table, Luthair walking close by, and examined everything on top. Parts of a dead creature were strewn across the surface, along with paperwork and a journal. I recognized the type of creature. A hydra. The alligator-style body, stumpy legs, and snake-like head were unmistakable.

  It reminded me of Hexa, and a new kind of pain lanced my chest. It hurt like only nostalgia and longing could. I wished she were here so she could tell me the specifics about this hydra. Maybe she would’ve had some insight.

  I gently pushed the bloodless body parts to the side, somewhat disgusted by the stiff way they rolled. At least they were odorless. Why keep them in such a state? Was Theasin going to make hydra trinkets? Why hadn’t he put them away?

  I searched through the paperwork, trying to concentrate on anything other than the disembodied limbs. Without much effort, I stumbled upon a map. Gravekeeper William loved cartography—he had been a navigation officer when he had served in the navy.

  I picked it up and narrowed my eyes. This wasn’t a map with longitude or latitude. It wasn’t even a map of the city. It looked like a maze—a long, complicated map that required a legend and several notes. It wasn’t labeled, but up in the corner was the drawing of a scarab.

  “Adelgis,” I muttered as I walked around the table, never taking my eyes off the map. “Is this the Grotto Labyrinth?”

  I made it to his side, but he hadn’t answered. He just stared at the paperwork on Theasin’s personal desk, unmoving.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  Adelgis snapped out of his frozen state and hastily gathered up the papers, his hands shaking. “Y-yes. I apologize. What was your question?”

  “Is this the Grotto Labyrinth?”

  Adelgis gave the map a single glance. “I… I think so.”

  “Are you sure everything is ok
ay?”

  He folded the paperwork and kept it close, almost as if he didn’t want me to see it. “Yes. I’m sorry for worrying you. I heard thoughts. Strange thoughts. Everything is fine now.”

  Although he seemed panicked—and weirder than even his normal self—I decided not to question him further. Adelgis had never lied to me, and he had been a stalwart friend who deserved the benefit of the doubt. If he didn’t want to tell me what was bothering him, he didn’t have to.

  “Do you think we have time to copy this?” I asked. “Maybe we can show it to Vethica.”

  “Take it,” Adelgis said. “Take anything you want.”

  I lifted an eyebrow. “I don’t want to steal from your father.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Adelgis clenched his jaw, his gaze fixed on the paperwork. “This is all property of the Venrover estate. If anyone will get in trouble for it, I will. I give you permission. Anything you want—it’s yours.”

  I stepped away from Adelgis, holding the map close. There wasn’t much I wanted, so perhaps I would take the sand and the map and be done with it.

  With a conflicted conscience, I returned to the glass cabinet. Karna-Theasin was now kneeling next to the chair at Theasin’s personal desk. He lifted it and examined the legs. I had no idea what was going on, and again, decided not to ask.

  “Perhaps Theasin has star shards,” Luthair said, drawing my attention. “We could use them for trinket creation with your father.”

  I chuckled to myself. How had I forgotten so quickly? I had thought of the shards as I walked in here. If Adelgis didn’t mind me taking things, perhaps searching for star shards would be prudent.

  I glanced around, hoping to catch sight of their golden glint. I saw none.

  Karna-Theasin set the chair back down and then stood. He stretched his arms in the air and then scratched his backside. “Uh. It gets tiresome being that uptight.” Karna still had Theasin’s voice, just not the same tone or inflection. “Adelgis, have you found what you were looking for yet?”

  “Almost.”

  I grabbed the vials of sand out of the cabinet and shoved them in the pocket of my trousers.

  Then I looked again for the star shards. Surely, Theasin would have some…