by K. F. Breene
“We shall see.” Cato’s eyes crinkled again.
I gave Stefan a put-upon expression and felt our link color with humor and love. I nodded at Dominicous and then Tim before I turned toward Cato. Showtime.
“So you guys have been planning this for a while, huh?” I asked Cato conversationally as the battle commanders broke up and headed to their men.
“Yes. We weren’t planning to engage so early, but when you requested aid—well, no time like the present, as they say.”
“Who is going in with you?” Paulie asked as he unsheathed his sword. Charles already had his out.
I shook my head and glanced back at the gaggle of magic-workers behind us, most still in the cabbage field. Cato’s experienced workers all faced straight ahead, grim and ready. The humans chatted in hushed tones with nervous smiles and shifty eyes, often ogling one of the many warriors standing ready.
“I don’t even know that I’m going in. That’s what the warriors are for, right?” I turned back to the empty field as Stefan stopped behind Jameson and the giant Kodiac. Ann, the mountain lion, took off at a graceful lope to the right.
“Who’s going in?” Paulie repeated.
“Whoever runs that way, bro.” Charles looked up and down the line. “Probably just us at first. Birdie will be walking fast toward the fight, you know she will. She’ll probably have her hands on her hips and everything. And the twins will go with her, because they rarely know what’s going on. They’ll just follow. Then some of the others. But they’ll be the second tier. Sasha will lead us right into the heart of it.”
“We’re supposed to stay out here, though, right?” I glanced at Toa before I turned to Cato. “Aren’t the magic people supposed to stay back and out of the way?”
“They know you’ll see your loved ones charging, and follow.” Toa’s voice had an edge. “You do not follow protocol at the best of times.”
I sighed. I kind of hated that he knew me so well—especially when I was trying to be good.
As the sun climbed, and all the non-humans put on sunglasses, things went unnaturally still. Thousands of people were gathered, holding swords, staring out at an empty field. A hush fell over the crowd, even the witches and warlocks. Time ground to a halt.
Dominicous glanced back at us.
“It is time.” Cato turned his head to me. His faded blue eyes held a ruthless edge. I had never seen the equivalent. I could almost see pain and suffering from hundreds of years past staring out at me. Shivers racked my body. “Trigger the spell. I have up a shield in case the worst happens. Then we will link. When we link, you will feel a momentary rush. Your stomach will heave. You will feel disheveled. Maybe dizzy. It is the meeting of two wells of power. It is the connection and fusing of two equal halves. You will see how I do it. You can mimic this with any white, but do so under the best of circumstances if at least one of you isn’t experienced.”
“I feel like we should’ve practiced this, because that’s not how it is with Toa.”
“I am the only person in America that is experienced in this type of link. It is time to learn on the fly, Sasha, as you do so well. Let us begin.”
Expectation rode the moment. All of a sudden, this battle took on a completely different feel. It wasn’t just about chasing the enemy from our land and rescuing one of ours. This was beyond that—the meeting of two opposite powers. The resuscitation of an old magic that hadn’t been used in hundreds of years. The experimentation of Cato’s race working with mine. Of making two into one.
I got the distinct impression this was a very beneficial, but very dangerous, superpower.
How do I get myself into these things?
Trying not to focus on possible death a moment away, I turned my attention back to that web of spells created by a master. I sank back into it, just to feel it again. Just to be at one with it for a while longer. And then, with a concentrated effort, I triggered all my dormant spells.
Energy rushed out of me. I felt more bleed in through my link, trying to fill me back up. But more just poured out. Cato reached out to Mage June, steadying himself. The same was most likely happening to him since he’d put his magic into the spells, too.
Nothing happened at first.
The rustle of fabric and people shifting sounded off behind us. A body hit the dirt.
“Take all the energy you can. Release them before you kill them,” Cato advised. “You will most likely be cut off when the battle begins, and for that, you should have full energy.”
I reached out blindly as I closed my eyes. I felt Charles’ hand grab mine before his arm came around my waist to fully support me. I sucked energy from the weaker magic-users first, releasing them when I needed to, as Cato had said. Many fainted, but they’d be fine. Actually, they were probably better off, because once the bloodshed started, they’d most likely freak out. I was helping them.
The air in the field started to shimmer. Like solar flares mixed with heat waves, Cato and my spell was working at the fabric of the spell Nathanial had set. It shimmered and wobbled. Then started to sputter.
I drained off another couple people and started focusing on the larger pools of magic-workers. “Do you have anybody you’re not using?” I asked in a pant. “I don’t know how long they can hold out.”
“Have no fear. We are nearly there.”
As if hearing Cato, the draw of energy from the spell started to slow. The pull became less. He’d somehow timed it to take heavily in the beginning, and then taper off. I needed to ask him how when this was all over.
Bursts of light with no sound blazed in ten different spots. Balloons of white and black swirled through the sky. The draw of energy cut off completely.
Cato straightened up. “Here we go. Nathanial will feel it right—“
Chapter Eight
“Blast through the wall!”
Jonas braced just inside the door. From the movements, murmurs and scuffles, he guessed probably six people were attempting to find them. One being Nathanial, who Emmy claimed was some expert magic-worker or other. She guessed he would’ve brought his guards, who were excellent with swords.
Jonas was excellent at killing. He was eager to make their acquaintance.
“Come away from the door,” Emmy hissed. “We’re leaving out the back.”
“The exit is guarded. What’s the point?” Jonas whispered back. The timbre of his voice, though, carried.
The shuffling beyond the walls silenced. Then, “Emmy, my darling. You have greatly vexed me. It would be wise if you left your barbarian and returned to me. I’ll go easy on you, my dear.”
Jonas shifted impatiently. He wanted to rip that smug voice out of that male’s throat.
“You disappoint me, Emilia.” A spark of light seeped through the door before a small blast echoed through the tunnels. The dull sounds of stone falling rumbled across the floor. Dust shifted down from the ceiling and settled like ash across Jonas’ shoulders. A few pebbles followed, along with a deep, low groan of rock shifting.
“You’ll bring this whole place down on top of us!” Emmy yelled.
Jonas could see her in the dim glow of light shifting under the door. She frantically waved Jonas back toward a square patch of deeper black. If they went through that door, they would then just trap themselves between the guards at the exit, and the mage tracking her with magic. There would be more to take on, and the result would probably be the same.
He motioned her through. Time had run out. “You go. I’ll see what damage I can do.”
He could just see the plane of Emmy’s face shift toward him, following the sound of his voice. She couldn’t see any better than before, even with the swaying and bouncing light from under the door. But he could. He could see her straighten up in resignation. Straighten her shoulders and lift her head. He saw her step forward and untie the whips from around her waist.
He could see her get ready for battle. She wouldn’t leave him. She’d fight her greatest fear, right beside him.
>
What a fucking great female. Also, a stupid one. “Run!” he seethed. “It isn’t worth your life.”
“There is nowhere to run. Not from me.” That smug voice floated in the darkness. A foot interrupted the light beneath the door.
Jonas let magic pulse through him. His arms swirled in orange. His hands formed claws in front of him. Someone was about to get a facelift.
A hand hit the door. It swung open with the customary squeal. Jonas jumped forward as the earth rumbled. Then shook. A loud explosion thundered through the walls and rolled through the air. Jonas grabbed a male’s face and took a cheek with him as he was flung against a wall. The low tremor was interrupted with screaming.
The ceiling above them groaned. Small rocks rained down in warning. Dust sifted through the air. Somewhere, stone crumbled and littered across the floor. The earth rumbled again. The ceiling groaned louder in absolute misery. Jonas was flung to the other side of the room.
Sasha had arrived.
“We’re being attacked!” Nathanial screamed. He wasn’t so smug now. “Forget the girl. Get to your battle positions.”
“This whole place is going to come down.” Emmy dashed toward the open door on nimble feet as the world stilled for a moment.
“No!” Jonas reached for her and missed. He stood to chase only to stop dead as she ducked and snatched up a sword much too big for her body. She held it out to him.
“C’mon, hurry!” After he grabbed the sword, she dashed past him to the small open door at the back of the room. “They’ll leave that exit to get their battle gear. We need to get through before this place comes down on our heads!”
With a quick glance at the now-swordless male holding his bloody cheek and writhing on the ground, Jonas took after an extremely resourceful female. They ran at full speed through twists and turns she seemed to know by heart.
“He just abandoned you when he was right on top of you?” Jonas asked as he struggled to keep up. She had shorter legs, was a female, and had inherited mostly human strength, but damned if she wasn’t faster than he was.
“His magic is invested in the defense of this place. If someone starts messing with the spells, it’s going to mess with his magic. If they hit him just right—and hopefully they did—it’s going to drain his power. Or whatever. He has to link so he doesn’t go down with the ship. With all the explosions, if your mage even half knows what she’s doing, he won’t have a lot of time.”
“She doesn’t. But she’s with people who do.”
Emmy slowed to a walk as a large patch of daylight crept up the hall. Up ahead about fifty feet was a huge hole in the wall that might’ve once been a doorway. Three dead guards lay strewn around the opening, two having been crushed under pieces of the wall, and one with a stone lodged in half his face. They probably hadn’t seen it coming.
“Holy shit,” Emmy breathed, starting to jog again. “Someone sure knows what they’re about.”
Jonas couldn’t help a swelling of pride. Sasha made shit up on the fly, but when she got into making a point, she really went all out. This spoke of her like nothing else would.
With freedom waiting beyond the opening, and a groaning collection of walls and ceiling behind them, Emmy put on a burst of speed into the bright sunlight. Laughing with glee, she put up her hands and reached for the sky. A second later, she gave a terrified scream and put her hands up to shield her face.
“No!” Jonas yelled in horror.
* * *
I stared in wonder at a large, three-story building with gaping holes dotting the front. The dust hadn’t even settled before people were staggering out like drunk ants, waving swords, squinting, and shaking their heads. They probably should’ve taken a second to recover, though, because our guys were already running at a full sprint to any opening they saw.
“Okay, Sasha, let’s link.” Cato turned to me and put out his hand like a handshake. “It is easier if we have physical contact the first few times.”
I saw Stefan and Dominicous start jogging forward with the last line of their warriors, swords drawn, tattoos blazing. My heart leapt in my throat. My muscles started to tingle. I had to go. I had to go with them. I couldn’t let them go in alone.
“Link, Sasha,” the calm but insistent voice implored.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, sir?” Mage June asked.
Paulie shifted where he stood. His knuckles were white around the handle of his sword. Charles stared at me, not moving, not showing his impatience, waiting for my cue. He was the more experienced of the two. He knew what was important, what needed to happen before the charge, and he was staring at me with expectancy.
I turned my face toward Cato with barely-contained impatience. With those faded-blue eyes, shining with a terrible light of death and destruction, backed with knowledge and wisdom, he was more prepared for battle than any person on this battle field. I could see past bloodshed haunting his vision. I could almost feel the deadly spells churning in his memory.
I reached out and took his old, wrinkled hand. His magic reached for mine. And he’d been right—it wasn’t like when I linked with Toa. For one, the link delved deeper until it clutched at my root. It seemed to wrap around the base of me in a firm grip. At the same time, his magic implored that I reach forward and do the same to him. Equal. Balanced.
I followed his lead, so easy when I could see it being done. No lectures, just doing.
“Strong connection. Good work.” Cato closed his eyes.
Toa stepped forward to brace his shoulders while throwing Charles a look. That’s when it happened. My world heaved. My stomach roiled and my head swam. I felt like I was floating and sinking at the same time. Like I couldn’t get enough breath. Focusing on Charles’ hands on my shoulders, I squeezed my eyes shut and gave in to it. I felt the foreign type of magic seep into and wrap around mine. It was almost like the two forms of magic were threading their fingers together.
Within a few seconds, the feeling cleared. I opened my eyes to a smiling, though still serious, Cato. “Excellent. That went off marvelously. And just in time. It seems our number one enemy has advanced.”
Cato turned and started walking, slowly, toward the battlefield. Fighting raged before us. Flashes of magic and swinging swords were often followed by splashes of deep crimson flying through the bright sky. Within the casing of a window on the second floor of the building, which was about fifty yards from the street, stood one man in a bright white robe. Equally-bright white magic rolled and boiled between his hands before a floating orb descended toward the battlefield. Toward Jameson, who fought directly below on the dais, working his way into the building!
Without thinking, just reacting, I rocketed out a mix of water and earth to smother that ball while I quickly unraveled it. But it wasn’t just me. I felt the deft touch of Cato, not following on my coattails this time, but working with me. Right beside me. As if we had the same magical body and four hands with which to work the spells.
My smothering wrapped around the orb with a black sheen as a white gloss worked within. I could feel Cato tweaking and manipulating my spell with that complex mastery that he was known for. Within seconds, the orb fizzled into nothing. Jameson, none the wiser, slashed through the neck of a woman in front of him and charged into the building.
The man in the white robe looked around wildly. His robes were disturbed in the wind.
“Surprise, you bastard!” I started throwing out spells without a second thought—hitting those on the battlefield standing in the way of our guys. Cato was always there, working with me. Improving me. Helping me learn.
“Nathanial is drawing off of a group of… I would say four powerful mages.” Cato’s eyes went distant. He was working on my spells while figuring out the enemy.
If I didn’t think I was a novice before, this would be a rude awakening.
“None of them have the power like we do, or he wouldn’t be struggling with the flux. He works. That is helpful.”
“
So… can we attack him, or what? I can blow up the ledge he’s standing on pretty easily.”
Paulie’s fast movement caught my eye. He ripped something out of his belt and pointed it straight ahead. A moment later the loud boom of a gun blasted across the battlefield. More than one person flinched. The man that was running at Dominicous’ back, sword drawn, jerked back as a blossom of blood appeared in the center of his chest.
Charles looked at Paulie with wide eyes. “You brought a gun?”
Paulie shrugged, watching the battle with fervent eyes. “It doesn’t do much on magic, sure, but it sure cuts through the bullshit with flesh and blood.”
“Hide it again, son,” Cato said with strain in his voice. “Magic can be used to render such objects useless. At least hard to handle. Use it sparingly and only against those who are not as fluent in magic.”
Paulie slipped the weapon back into his belt.
“Now. The fun begins.” Cato blast off a spell to a man I hadn’t noticed in a third floor window containing no glass. It wrapped around him with stinging fire, but not as potent as I would’ve liked. I added my crude violence to the spell to finish it up.
The man screamed and clawed at his body. Nathanial staggered and looked in the direction of his counterpart even though he wouldn’t have been able to see from his vantage point. A moment later, his head slowly tilted down to our location. And then sighted Cato. A grim smile lit up the handsome face.
Game on.
A spell whipped off toward us so fast I couldn’t even think. I couldn’t react. I stood there stupidly as white and black swirling magic interceded and tore it apart before it could reach us.
“You see, each of us can work with our combined might. We do not have to be next to each other to use our combined magic,” Cato replied calmly as two spells I didn’t recognize zipped back toward that ledge. They never reached the man.
Another intricate spell came firing back at us. “We’re a standing target!” I jumped from foot to foot. I wanted to throw a rock. At least he couldn’t disintegrate a rock!
