From over the great distances of the eastern steppe, the tribes had come to converge at this place, every warrior of every clan, every nation of the Khazahar hordes. As was their custom, the Jenn had sent their women and children far away to the south, to the elder forests of the Sajar-Asharu, the Mountains of Cedar. There, they would remain in relative security, waiting for word that all was safe to return again.
The herds had made good time. In only two weeks, the Omeyan people had traveled from their winter home in the canyon near Vintgar all the way to the eastern edge of the steppe, almost to the dark waters of the sea. The walls of Bryn Calazar would be within sight tomorrow evening if they kept going at their present pace. The hordes travelled swiftly, leaving behind a vast swathe of trampled ground behind their fast-ranging herds that numbered in the tens of thousands.
Beneath him, Braden’s horse danced impatiently. He reached down and ran his hand along the stallion’s neck and scratched its short-cropped mane. The flame-colored stallion was an exquisite creature of a proud bloodline, the product of thousands of years of expert husbandry and meticulous breeding. But it was spirited, eager for the thrill of the gallop or the heat of a fight.
At a signal from its rider, the stallion knelt forward to the ground, allowing Braden to slide easily from its back. He removed the embroidered riding blanket and slipped the bridle off over the horse’s ears. He stroked the animal’s velvety nose, murmuring a quiet word of thanks. Then he released the stallion back to the herd for the night. Braden watched as the chestnut darted off, tail carried high and neck arched, anxious for the company of its own kind.
He looked to Elessar, who remained mounted on his own dark bay. “We’ll make camp here for the night,” Braden explained to him. “Then tomorrow we’ll go down into the valley and make preparations for a siege.”
Elessar commanded his own horse to kneel, slipping agilely off its back. His darkly bearded face looked even more severe than usual as he stepped forward. He appeared to be mulling the implications of Braden’s words. After a long moment of silence, he voiced his concern:
“Grand Master Braden, of course you understand that we lack the means of laying an effective siege to a port city the size of Bryn Calazar.”
Braden nodded, placing a hand upon Elessar’s shoulder in reassurance. “I am aware of that. It doesn’t matter, to be frank. The point is, you’ll be there, threatening their walls. I just need you to get their attention. Get their attention and keep their attention.”
The warlord nodded thoughtfully. “I understand. The siege is a feint. We are meant only to distract.”
Braden frowned, hearing the disappointment in the warlord’s voice. He felt suddenly uncertain. “I’m sorry, Elessar. I hope that doesn’t lessen the honor or the glory for your warriors. If the darkmages are focused on you, then I’ll be able to strike them where they are most vulnerable: in the heart of the Lyceum itself.”
The old man’s gaze lowered to Thar’gon, the silver talisman of war that hung at Braden’s side. In his age-strained voice, he assured him, “There is no lessening of glory. It remains an honor to ride at the side of our Sentinel, a mage whose blood is our own blood.”
Braden smiled, releasing his shoulder. “Believe me, the honor is mine, Elessar.” He took a step away then turned back again, as if in afterthought. “We’ll be riding out tomorrow. Sephana and I are going ahead into the city to implement our part in all this. We will talk more tonight.”
At a stiff nod from Elessar, Braden turned away. He walked over to where Sephana sat astride her sorrel mare.
“Walk with me?” he invited her.
She dismounted and, with Braden’s help, released her mare back into the herd. He took the bridle from her, hanging it in his hand along with his own, tossing her riding blanket over his shoulder.
“You know, I’m perfectly capable of carrying my own tack,” she chided him.
Braden nodded with a smile. “I know. And I could let you do it. But I won’t.”
Sephana shook her head with a wry grin, falling into step beside him as he wandered toward a low hill. He took her hand in his, feeling the straw of the steppe grass brush softly against his knuckles. He led her up the rise of the hill and, at the summit, tossed down the horses’ tack, spreading out the blankets for a place to sit upon. Overhead, storm clouds gathered to darken the western horizon.
Braden brought Sephana’s hand up to his lips, pressing it with a tender kiss. “I’ve always wanted to show you Bryn Calazar,” he told her softly. “I just never thought it would be like this.”
An expansive peal of thunder rolled toward them from the distance. Looking up, Braden saw strange, flickering lights that seemed to come from deep within the churning layer of clouds. The magic field itself felt a little strange. He reached out with his mind, sampling the flow of the lines of power in this place. The feel of it made his skin itch, raising goosebumps on his flesh.
“What is it?” Sephana wondered beside him.
Braden continued to stare upward at the strange flickering lights in the clouds. A streak of lightning forked upward from the ground.
Grimly, he informed her, “It’s been happening on and off for the past couple of days. I didn’t want to say anything. I was almost hoping you wouldn’t notice.”
She turned toward him, obviously troubled. “What is it, Braden?”
He gazed into her eyes, observing the fear that was already there. He could tell that she already knew. “It’s beginning,” he informed her. “The magic field is starting to destabilize.”
Sephana turned and took a step away as lightning crackled overhead. He wished that he could see her face. He wanted to know what emotions were there.
“You’re doing the right thing, Braden,” she said at last, still with her back to him.
Deeply troubled, Braden focused his stare downward at the ground. “Is it really the right thing? Because I’m not so sure anymore.”
“Of course it is.” She turned and strode back toward him, catching him up in her arms, running a hand through his hair. Gazing into his eyes, she insisted, “What Krane is doing is wrong from so many different perspectives. The mages he has surrounded himself with are only acting in their own interest. There’s a whole world out there that knows nothing of magecraft or magic fields or any of that nonsense. Those are the people who will suffer the most if Krane goes through with his plan. It’s always been the responsibility the mage class to protect the weak, lend strength to the powerless. Cyrus Krane and his kind have forgotten that.”
Braden drew in a deep breath, letting it out again slowly. He couldn’t help but glance back up at the strange, ominous lights in the clouds. “I know we’re in the right. But that doesn’t make it any easier.”
A terrible, sickening feeling twinged across the inside of his skull. Overhead, the clouds fairly spasmed with a rippling burst of luminescent color. Wincing, Braden started to bring his hands up. But the sensation was gone almost as soon as it began. The magic field yet resonated around him, swirling like eddies in a stream current.
“I felt that.” Sephana’s voice was low, devoid of all emotion.
Braden swallowed. “I know. I felt it, too.”
She brought her hand up to the side of his face, directing his stare into her own. “Are you scared, Braden?”
He pulled back, taking long strides away from her. He didn’t want her to see his face.
He was confronted with the sudden, overwhelming impulse to turn and just walk away, just leave her standing there on the hillside. It would be so easy to save her life; all he had to do was nothing.
He didn’t know if he could go through with it. He didn’t know if he had the strength to condemn another woman to death.
Chapter Ten
A Step Away from Hell
Bryn Calazar, Caladorn
THE CRACKLING NOISE of thunder jarred Merris wide awake. She pushed back her thin blanket, sitting straight up in bed and glancing around in apprehension at
the darkness.
Something in the world seemed terribly out of sorts. There was no other way to describe the feeling that clawed at the back of her neck, grated down her spine. Beside her, the sound of Quin’s snoring continued unbroken. Merris didn’t understand how the man could remain asleep despite the lingering tension in the air. But Quin had so thoroughly drowned himself in wine over the past two weeks that Merris doubted he could sense much of anything anymore.
She pulled her embroidered silk robe on over her shoulders, tying the sash firmly into place. Opening the door of their small room, she let herself out into the dim hallway. The ringing swells of laughter echoing from down the hall seemed distant and muted.
Merris stopped at the entrance to the common area. She peered around the corner, scanning her eyes over the faces in the crowd. It was late, but the flow of customers had been steady throughout the evening. The common area was almost full, patrons reclining in rings of conversation upon the rugs or huddled up in tight clusters beside flaming braziers. The sounds of boisterous laughter filled Merris’s ears. Silk-robed serving girls wove in and out about the room, carrying trays of food or pitchers of drink.
Merris frowned, staring out at the animated scene. No one in the room appeared bothered or disturbed in the least. No one seemed to so much as sense the strange tension in the air. She lingered in the doorway another minute before finally turning away.
As she did, a hand caught her shoulder.
Merris whirled, startled, to find herself enveloped by Sephana’s soft embrace.
“Merris.”
She recognized the voice instantly, but the shock of actually hearing it prevented her from reacting. Dazed, Merris pulled back away from her former mentor, gazing with shock into the woman’s beleaguered features. Sephana’s eyes were troubled, trailing over her with obvious concern. Blinking, Merris took in the sight of the tall and bearded man standing behind Sephana, garbed in travel-stained robes covered with a vest of barbarian scale. It took her a long moment to recognize Braden’s unkempt features.
Rendered speechless, Merris could only gaze back and forth between the two of them in mute astonishment. Slowly, her senses returned to acuity. Taking Sephana by the hand, she pulled her forward and guided them both down the length of the hallway to the room she shared with Quin. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Then she quickly opened the door and ushered them both inside.
Darkness covered them with the closing of the door, but the amber glow of Braden’s magelight spread out to illuminate the room in a soft radiance. Behind her, a copper lantern flared to life.
Merris glanced toward the bed where Quin lay sleeping, his naked body barely covered by a corner of the blanket. The sound of his snoring was loud and abrasive. Merris caught a glimpse of the bitter scowl that passed over Braden’s face at the first sight of his brother. For just a moment, there was an almost murderous glint in his dark eyes. He glanced sideways at Merris.
“I had given you credit for better taste,” he commented, striding toward the bed.
Merris immediately found herself back in Sephana’s arms, the irritating woman stroking through her hair in a vexing attempt to offer comfort. Merris wanted to pull away; Sephana fairly reeked of sweat and horse. She forced herself to smile instead.
“Thank the gods you are safe,” Sephana muttered, pushing Merris’s platinum locks back away from her face. She took a seat on the floor, urging Merris to follow suit. Two embroidered cushions were the only decorations in the room except for the carpets and the bed.
Merris finally trusted her voice enough to speak. “We feared you were dead,” she explained. Her fingers traced over the silken folds of her robe, adjusting the lay of the fabric over her chest.
“Came damned close,” was Braden’s grated response. He was trying to shake his brother awake. “Quin. Quin.”
A low groan issued from the direction of the bed.
“Why am I surprised?” Braden sounded exasperated. As Merris watched, he closed his eyes and placed an outstretched hand on his brother’s chest. After only a moment he opened his eyes again, withdrawing.
Quin stirred, groaning, then slowly cracked open his eyes and gazed around in confusion. At the sight of his brother, his mouth dropped open. His hand shot down to his side, pulling the blanket further up his chest. His eyes wandered from Braden across the room to Sephana. He sat up, his expression brightening.
“Why, I’ll be damned if it isn’t Braden.” He regarded his brother with a wry grin. “I don’t quite believe I’m saying this, but I think I might actually be glad to see you.”
Braden stared flatly ahead for a long moment, at last acknowledging him with a nod. “It’s been a long time, Quin. Maybe even long enough. I see Merris found you.”
A grin sprang instantly to Quin’s bearded face as his eyes flicked across the room to where Merris reclined on a cushion beside Sephana. “Yes, she certainly did find me. Thank you, by the way, for the gift of her company. She’s been a rare glimmer of sunlight.”
“Yes, she certainly looks like a rare glimmer of sunlight,” Sephana remarked dryly.
Merris shifted uncomfortably on her cushion, her hand moving upward to attend to the gape of her cleavage. On the inside, she was seething. On her face, though, she managed a shy smile.
“Please forgive my appearance, Master Sephana,” she apologized. “I was only trying to fit in.”
Sephana cast a withering glance in her direction. “I’m sure you were, dear,” she responded dismissively before turning to Quin. “I’m so very sorry to have stumbled in upon you like this. You must be terribly uncomfortable. Why don’t we all go out for a while and give you some space to clean up a bit?”
Quin shook his head, raising his hand up as if warding off the thought. “Thank you, no. Too much going in and coming out will attract the kind of attention we don’t need. And, at any rate, I’ve never been exactly prudish. Darling,” he called over to Merris, “would you mind fetching my clothes up off the floor? I can’t seem to recall where I put them last. That’s a good dear.”
Merris smiled politely as she moved to comply, noticing out of the corner of her eye the looks exchanged between Braden and Sephana. She located Quin’s robe and vest at the bottom of a rumpled pile of filth. She tried to think back to the last time she’d actually seen him wearing clothing at all. She didn’t think he had put on so much as a stitch since the day they’d first arrived at the inn.
She handed the clothes over to Quin with a sweet smile on her face, bending down to brush the side of his cheek with a dutiful kiss. The smile on her face remained a fixed thing as she sat beside him on the bed.
Ignoring Sephana’s astonished reaction, Merris busied herself with helping Quin pull his indigo robes on over his head. When at last she had him fully dressed, Quin immediately rose to his feet and affected a formal bow in the direction of Sephana.
“May the peace and blessings of the gods be with you, Great Lady,” he announced splendidly. “You truly are just as gracious as Merris has described. Quinlan Reis, Fifth Tier Grand Master, at your service.”
Sephana acknowledged him with an almost regal nod. “Please. Let us dispense with such formalities. It is very much an honor, Quinlan. I never thought that I would ever have the opportunity to meet a member of Braden’s family. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
She rose from her cushion and strode across the room with the grace and dignity of a queen despite the tattered green dress that stirred around her. She embraced Quin warmly, softly kissing him on both cheeks before pulling away. He smiled shyly, looking patently uncomfortable.
“That’s enough,” Braden barked tersely. “Were you able to pass my message along to Renquist?”
Quin nodded, sucking in his lip as he sank back down onto the bed next to Merris. “Unfortunately, we did,” he muttered. “We discovered that Prime Warden Renquist was the man Merris saw that night in the cellar.”
Merris nodded adamantly, w
ringing her hands in her lap. “It was him,” she affirmed. “It was his voice I heard. He was wearing the ring.”
She gazed up at Braden, watching with fascination the slow progression of emotions that evolved gradually across his face. At first, there was only confusion followed by doubt. Then his eyes slowly widened as realization hit home. Fear came next. She could practically map the connections his brain was making as he groped toward full understanding of the magnitude of Quin’s revelation. Despair was slow to come, but come it finally did.
“You are certain?” he demanded at last in a hollow-sounding voice.
Merris nodded without looking at him. She was watching Sephana’s hand moving up to cover her mouth as she shook her head slowly in denial. It was an intriguing reaction, quite different than Braden’s had been.
Braden sagged back against the mud bricks of the wall, allowing his body to slump down into a crouch, resting his elbows against his knees. He brought his hands up to his forehead, raking back his dark hair.
“Then we’re completely on our own,” he whispered. “The entire Lyceum will stand barred against us. It’s over. There is nothing we can do if Renquist has allied with the rest.”
Sephana shook her head, eyes adamant. “All is not lost,” she rebuked her lover confidently. “There is still hope to be had. We have each other. And, together, our combined strength is not insignificant.”
Gazing at her former mentor, Merris was reminded of exactly why she had never liked the woman. Sephana had a way of positively exuding competence; it was a trait that made others trust her and turn to her for guidance. It lent credence to her gentle arguments and weight to her quiet authority.
Braden stared miserably upward, eyes wide and wandering the ceiling, mouth open and agape. “It’s happening again,” he whispered. The sound of despair in his voice was chilling.
Merris concentrated, reaching out from within to sample the pulse of the magic field as she had been taught to do since the first days of her training. The field was still tangibly hostile, its normally tame currents flowing unbridled across the city. Again, she had the gnawing feeling that something in the world had gone terribly wrong.
Darkstorm (The Rhenwars Saga Book 1) Page 16
