The Stone Eater (The Magic Eaters Trilogy Book 3)

by Carol Beth Anderson

The rebels told Nora the same stories over and over—about how disenchanted they’d become in the last eleven years. How ready they were for a leader who remembered her people.

  Nora and her team spent hours discussing their next step. Waiting, they agreed, was the best plan. Before long, their sheer numbers would give them the advantage against trained soldiers. At least that’s what Nora hoped.

  Every day was full of strategies that shifted quickly enough to give Nora whiplash. Soon, nearly a thousand people occupied Deep Forest. They weren’t even trying to hide from Kadin, who frequently flew overhead. The camp at Riverside overflowed with eight hundred more rebels. And Nora’s supporters kept coming.

  She sent messengers on dragons to meet arriving rebels, directing them to camps on Cellerin Mountain and in additional wooded areas along the river.

  Night after night, Zeisha flew on a dragon, gathering more shield fuel. Bored rebels were happy to grind it up, and volunteers rode dragons to distribute it among the camps. “If the king’s people attack, eat this,” they instructed. “It’ll protect you from their magic.”

  After several days had passed in an exhausting blur, Nora and Krey grabbed a moment alone, hidden behind some thick trees. “It all feels out of my control,” she murmured.

  “It is.” He was standing behind her, rubbing her tight shoulders. His lips moved to her ear. “It’s a movement, Nora. You can’t determine all the twists and turns it’ll take, but you’re still the leader. These people believe in you.”

  She gave herself two minutes to relax into his touch before they rejoined the group to deal with the next crises, victories, and adjustments.

  That afternoon, Ulmin got word of one of the hiding places by the river. He sent three hundred troops to deal with it. Nearly fifty rebels were killed, and they only took down a dozen Cellerinian soldiers. Vin saw the skirmish and dove into it. The soldiers, most of whom had never seen a dragon, fled. All three dragons relocated the remaining rebels.

  Nora’s people were surrounding her when she heard of the attack. She had no choice but to let them see her cry. It seemed to make them love her more.

  A week after returning to the capital, Nora got news from Osmius that a group from Tirra would soon arrive.

  The same night, she received a letter. Nora and Krey read it by candlelight. New Therroan rebels had convinced a hundred Cellerinian soldiers to join them in a rebellion. Together, they’d driven out the troops still loyal to Ulmin. Over a thousand people, New Therroans and soldiers alike, had left the city and were camped in the hills north of the capital, awaiting Nora’s orders. She’d have to send a messenger on a dragon to guide them to a safer hiding place.

  “What do you think?” Nora asked Krey.

  “I think it’s time.”

  “I agree. In two days, we’ll gather our best people. Vin will burn a hole in my father’s dome. We’ll send word to all the camps to converge on the palace.”

  “And we’ll fight,” Krey said, “until we take our nation back.”

  That night, it felt more like winter than autumn. Despite her coat and blankets, Nora was shivering in her tent when she heard Krey outside, asking to enter. The militia member guarding her wouldn’t allow it.

  “Let him in,” she called. The two of them had kept their secret. It had been easier than she’d anticipated; with everything going on, they’d barely had time to see each other. But tonight, she needed him to hold her.

  He lay on his side behind her, pulling her close to his chest. After a few whispered words, Krey’s breaths slowed. Nora timed her own breathing to match his, drifting into a deeper slumber than she’d enjoyed in days.

  They warmed each other’s sleeping forms until screams woke them at dawn.

  33

  Tonight was my engagement ball. I know you wanted to be there, and I’m praying as hard as you are that the weather clears so you can travel soon.

  Honestly, you didn’t miss much. The best thing I can say is that the room looked amazing. I think Uncle Quin is rather proud of his beautiful ballroom, since the palace itself doesn’t have one!

  But everything else went wrong. My dress was too tight because, as always, I eat when I’m stressed, and my measurements have changed. I only got to dance two songs with Ulmin; the rest of the night, I was passed around like an appetizer tray.

  Then, just as guests were leaving, a young man from an important New Therroan family begged for a dance. I said yes, and he spent the entire song coughing on me. While I’m sure he wasn’t trying to spread germs, it felt like an attack.

  If I get sick, he’s uninvited to the wedding. Back me up here, please.

  -Letter from Ambrel Kaulder to Dani Kaulder

  Dated Wolf 9, 180 PD

  Someone threw Nora’s tent flap open. “Come with us, Your Highness.”

  Despite the distant screams, Nora recognized the voice of one of the militia members who guarded her tent. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. We need to get you to safety.”

  “Make sure you get the rest of our leaders too,” Krey said.

  “Their guards are waking them now. Let’s go.”

  Tension buzzed through the air as militia members led Nora and Krey through the trees, following some path Nora couldn’t see. They’d been drilling daily for a time such as this.

  As they rushed through the dim light of dawn, they passed other rebels, running toward the sounds of battle. Guilt drove a knife into Nora’s gut. Running away seemed wrong. But she had to get to safety. Whoever she was running from wasn’t the enemy. Her father was. She’d save her fighting for him.

  Branches scratched her skin. Rocks and roots did their best to trip her. Nora was standing from one such fall when Vin’s voice reached her. It is the army. They are in the forest. Some have wide eyes and vicious faces. Others are fearless, with blank eyes.

  Nora’s heart dropped. Her father was using his Overseers. Thank the stone they weren’t controlling all the king’s people . . . but had her own people remembered to protect themselves?

  “Shield fuel!” she gasped at Krey.

  He pulled a bag of pulverized rock from his pocket. “Where’s yours?”

  “If I swallow it”—she pulled air into her lungs”—I can’t talk to the dragons.”

  His brows drew together, but he didn’t question her. With a grimace, he shoved a small handful of pulverized rocks into his mouth.

  Vin spoke to her again. The soldiers are blind to your people until they get within swords’ reach. The unicorns are clearly casting illusions. I do not know how the army became aware of our camp.

  Nora reached out to all three dragons. Come to the north meeting area. Osmius, I’m sure my father is hidden under his dome and won’t see you . . . but please fly in from the north just in case he’s standing at the gate. She gave them further instructions as she continued running.

  At last, they arrived at their designated safe zone, a clearing far from both the road and the camp, hidden by thick trees. Three former militia members, Nora’s messengers, stood outside their tents. They’d been staying in this place night and day, except when they flew on dragons to share messages between the various camps.

  In less than two minutes, all three messengers were on dragons, flying toward the rebel camps to put out the call for reinforcements.

  By the time the dragons were gone, Ovrun, Zeisha, Kebi, and Joli had also arrived. Nora huddled with her trusted leaders—her friends. “I need you all to eat shield fuel—except Zeisha.” Her stomach tightened at the thought of her and Zeisha remaining exposed, but the two of them were her teams’ only connection to dragons and the Well. They couldn’t give that up.

  Nora quickly shared what Osmius had told her.

  “How did they know we were here?” Ovrun asked.

  Krey replied, “Could be anything. Maybe Sarza’s alive, or a traitor left our camp and told him everything. Or maybe the unicorns aren’t as good at hiding us as we thought.”

  Nora
turned to Zeisha. “Is there anything you can do to help?”

  “I don’t know. I need to listen.” Zeisha moved across the clearing.

  Joli watched her curiously. The skirmish with the king had shown her that something was different about Zeisha. But she never pried for details.

  Nora turned back to the others. “Give me ideas. Good, bad, stupid, I don’t care. We need a plan.”

  Zeisha sat, eyes shut, and dug her hands into the damp soil under the grass. She sensed the sleeping Well in the underground streams, bedrock, and, far beneath, magma. But something told her she wasn’t meant to use the power in the ground.

  She lifted her hands and reached out to the Well in the air, smiling as she sensed untapped magic all around her. Following a nudge in her heart, she opened her eyes and lifted her head. When she did, her mouth broadened into a smile of wonder.

  At the edge of the trees, perhaps three mets away, stood a unicorn. Its slender snout, large eyes, and delicate, pointed ears reminded her of a cervida. But where cervidas were skittish and meek, this creature exuded awe-inspiring power, colored with a hint of viciousness. Its lustrous, silver coat stretched over strong muscles in its shoulders and legs. A bone-white horn—slender, sharp, and more threatening than any dagger—extended from its forehead. Zeisha got the feeling it was watching her through its pale-blue compound eyes.

  Zeisha mulled over how odd it was that she could see the unicorn. It could certainly have hidden itself if it wished.

  She became aware of a certain shimmer in the air around the creature. Maybe she could only see past the illusion because she was connected to the Well in the air. Could her power cancel out that of the unicorn’s? Or was she seeing only the animal’s magical essence, not its physical body?

  To test whether the unicorn was purposefully showing itself, Zeisha disconnected from the Well. The unicorn disappeared, replaced by an image of the forest, complete with leaves ruffling in the breeze. Still smiling, Zeisha reached out to the Well in the air again. The unicorn popped back into existence.

  A twist of discomfort invaded Zeisha’s gut. Here she was, staring at a magical being who thought it was hidden. It felt like eavesdropping. She gazed in the unicorn’s eyes and spoke quietly. “I want you to know I can see you.”

  The beautiful creature stiffened. Then its muscles rippled dangerously as it lowered its horn, pointing it at the young woman on the grass.

  Zeisha remembered what Nora had told them recently—unicorns became violent if they felt threatened. And she’d broken through this beautiful creature’s first defense: invisibility. Fear lit up her body, sending her an unmistakable command: Move! Another message, quieter yet just as strong, whispered, Stay.

  Perhaps a year ago, she would’ve listened to her fear. But since becoming the Anya, Zeisha had learned to trust whispers in her heart over screams in her head. Despite the terror racing through her, she remained still.

  The unicorn charged.

  Zeisha sent out a wordless message—of apology and love and respect. The creature seemed to try to stop, turning its head to the side. But its momentum carried it forward. Its horn pierced Zeisha under her shoulder, penetrating several simmets before the unicorn halted. It backed away, red dripping from the tip of its white horn.

  Zeisha fell backward with a loud cry. There was no pain, only a sense of heaviness where the horn had stabbed her. She was barely aware of the shouts and running footsteps of her friends as numbness spread up her shoulder. Across her chest. Down her side.

  It had reached her chin when it occurred to her that her friends would want to know what had happened, that their grief would be greater if they couldn’t explain it. Her lungs seemed constricted now, and her tongue felt too big for her mouth. But she managed one hoarse word: “Unicorn.”

  She gazed at the silver creature standing behind her friends, sent it a wave of forgiveness, and allowed her eyes to fall closed.

  Kebi knelt over Zeisha, sobbing. Nora couldn’t make out all the words, but she heard “please” and “love” over and over.

  Joli pressed her coat against Zeisha’s bleeding shoulder.

  Ovrun ran off to fetch the blood lyster who was hiding in another clearing in the forest.

  Krey sat by Zeisha, holding her hand, lips moving in what must be a prayer.

  Nora knew she should cry or help or something, but her mind was full of the single word Zeisha had said.

  Unicorn.

  She faced the woods and spoke in the voice of command she’d learned from her father. “I know you can hear me! You wounded my friend. You probably killed her. I’ve heard unicorns are ethical creatures, but I can’t believe that anymore.” She stepped closer to the trees, scanning them, hoping to glimpse the beast. She saw nothing, no movement in her peripheral vision, no sunlight glancing off a poorly hidden horn. “You want ethics? Look at the person on the ground who’s got your poison running through her body. She’s the moral one. You’re the monster! If I’m wrong about you . . . PROVE IT.”

  Nora wasn’t sure what she expected. An audible response? Miraculous healing? A reversal of time itself?

  She waited. But the only sounds were her friends’ words and cries, the clash of forces in the distance, and the grumble of a nearby bird. The only sights were the dim trees and the harsh, orange light of sunrise.

  Nora shook her head, her shoulders drooping, and returned to the group.

  “She still has a pulse,” Krey said softly. “She’s breathing, but it’s very shallow.”

  Just then, Vin’s voice reached Nora’s mind. Soldiers are attacking this location as well! He sent her an overhead image of one of the smaller rebel camps by the river.

  The moment Nora heard it, she knew her father had Sarza. How else would he have known multiple places to attack?

  Helplessness pummeled her. She had no way to give instructions to the messengers on the dragons’ backs. But Hatlin had chosen those riders because they were brave and strategically minded. He’d also put someone competent in charge of every camp. Hopefully the riders and commanders would send reinforcements not only to Deep Forest, but also to the other camps under attack.

  As she considered what to do next, Osmius alerted her to a third camp invaded by the army.

  Gild told her of a fourth.

  Heart pounding with dread, Nora asked them to continue visiting all the camps, then to assist in the battles wherever they could, without getting themselves killed. When she was done, she gazed down at Zeisha again. She wanted to cry with Kebi or run after Ovrun to see if he’d found the healer yet.

  But Zeisha would want her to think of the people who were fighting and dying for their cause. “Krey,” Nora said.

  He looked up. Tears ran down his cheeks. Nora would feel the same if it were Ovrun down there. She’d learned that you could still love someone you’d fallen out of love with. When Krey saw Nora’s expression, he squeezed Kebi’s shoulder and stood.

  Nora took his hand and locked her eyes onto his. “People are dying. We need to end this thing. Now.”

  34

  I have a fever, and my entire body feels like it got run over by a wagon. I keep expecting to expel my lungs with my next cough.

  Ulmin insisted I stay at the palace. A doctor has the room next to mine, and while she’s nice enough, she checks on me too often.

  The prince is furious—not with me, but with the man who coughed on me at the ball. Beneath his anger, he’s clearly terrified something will happen to me. His worries are baseless. The doctor assures me my symptoms are normal for this illness. I should recover within a week, just in time to handle all the rest of the wedding details.

  But facts don’t seem to penetrate the fog of Ulmin’s fear.

  -Letter from Ambrel Kaulder to Dani Kaulder

  Dated Wolf 12, 180 PD

  Nora had quickly convinced Krey that someone had to enter the stone dome and cut off the king’s power. Such an action would strip him and his Overseers of their enhanced magic. Then No
ra could take the crown and bring an end to the fighting.

  After their agreement on those points, the discussion had deteriorated into a heated argument. Nora’s face grew hot with anger as they argued over one important detail: who would sneak into the dome.

  “Thousands of people didn’t travel to the capital so you could get yourself killed in their name!” Krey spat.

  Nora pulled apart her clenched teeth. “I’m not planning to get myself killed.”

  “Most people who get killed would say the same.” Krey gripped her shoulders hard, passion and fear brightening his eyes. “Tell Vin to make the biggest hole he can in the side of that dome. Send our people in. See what they can do.”

  “They’d be fighting on two fronts, Krey! There are soldiers out here and more inside. And there are probably Overseers both places! I’d be sending them to their deaths.”

  “They’re dying already, while we stand here arguing! They want to go to battle for you! Let them!”

  Nora opened her mouth to answer, then realized the healer Ovrun had fetched was standing a met away. Her anger dissolved. “How’s Zeisha?”

  The healer spoke quickly. “I don’t know. I did what I could, but it’s magical poison. I don’t have a way to remove it all. Her body will have to do the rest of the healing on its own.”

  “How likely is that?” Krey asked.

  “It could go either way.” He pointed to the thick trees on the west side of the clearing. “Ovrun’s moving a tent into those trees. He’ll carry her in there. Kebi said she’ll care for Zeisha.” He turned to Nora. “Your Highness, I need to get back to my station. There are injured people waiting for me.”