Shadow Found (The Shadow Accords Book 6)

by D. K. Holmberg

  “I see two men with you, and yourself,” Carth said with a shrug. As she did, she pulled needles from her pocket that Alex had prepared. Both were filled with a sedative, something Alex had referred to as coxberry. It was a strange substance, one that led to sedation, but nothing more. It was painless, and Carth had taken it often enough in the weeks since Alex had introduced her to it that she had built up a tolerance to it even without using her own magical ability. Would these men have a similar resistance?

  Carth didn’t think they would, but was prepared if they did. She had used a double dose, twice what Alex normally recommended. She flung the darts at the men, using a hint of shadow to make sure they flew true. When the needles sunk into the men’s necks, they staggered a moment before falling.

  Marna gave a casual glance to her now-fallen soldiers. “That was impressive. Unexpected as well. Now… you have only me to deal with. Is that what you wanted?”

  Carth shrugged. “I didn’t want to attack you, if that’s what you’re thinking. As I said, I want vengeance for what happened to my friend. That doesn’t necessarily mean killing you.”

  Marna’s eyes widened the slightest amount. Carth could almost see the woman’s calculating mind working through what Carth had shared. Under different circumstances, Carth thought Marna might be an interesting person to play a game of Tsatsun with.

  As it was, seeing Marna standing here alive, looking so much like Lindy, she struggled. It was difficult to see someone who reminded her so much of her friend, difficult for her to think about what she had lost. And she owed it to Lindy to get past that. Lindy would’ve wanted her to. Lindy would’ve wanted her to make sure that she kept others safe, make sure others didn’t have to suffer the same way she had.

  “Why have you drawn me out here?” Marna asked.

  “Some questions.”

  Marna arched a brow. “Questions? That’s all?”

  Carth shrugged. She kept an eye on the two men lying on the ground. They remained motionless. Carth hoped they stayed that way, but was prepared to hit them with another dose of the coxberry. If it came to it, she had a few more syringes loaded. They were quality syringes, mostly designed for the hospital, but Carth could use them as a delivery system for the toxins. Alex had almost seemed like she expected that of Carth.

  “Now you have me. What do you intend to get from me?”

  Carth kept her face neutral. “As I said, what I want is answers. Who hired the assassin?”

  Marna shook her head. “I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. I don’t know the answer to who hired them. As you can imagine, in my line of work, we make more than a few enemies.”

  “You were expecting the attack.”

  Marna shrugged. “Expecting, anticipating, preparing. In my line of work, I must do all of those things. If I didn’t, another would replace me.”

  “Your appearance. This was intentional.”

  A smile spread across Marna’s face, and it was almost enough to make Carth want to lash out, to send one of her knives flickering through the air. Marna seemed to anticipate that, and her muscles tensed. Carth suspected the woman would be able to move quickly enough that the knife wouldn’t do any good. Neither would any of her syringes. She could use her shadow magic or her flame magic upon the woman, but all that would do was incapacitate her. Carth wanted answers, and for that she needed her to cooperate.

  “This appearance. You don’t like it? From what I hear, you’re actually quite fond of this appearance.”

  Now Carth took a step forward unintentionally.

  Marna used that opportunity to pivot, and she spun, one foot flying forward, her fist moving with it.

  Carth readied for it.

  She sent a deflection using the shadows, creating something almost physical with them.

  Marna’s attack bounced off the shadows, and Carth stood across from her. The other woman jumped, leaping higher than she should have been able to, once more kicking while flipping in the air. Carth dropped, her A’ras training taking over, sending her to the ground so that she rolled to the side.

  “You’re talented,” Marna said. “I’m afraid that being talented isn’t enough. I’m afraid that there are a great many others who have been talented as well who thought to challenge me in Asador.”

  “I never intended to challenge you. I wanted to gather information. Seems that you’re the one who wants to challenge me.”

  Marna shrugged again. “I’m only willing to do what is necessary to make sure that I keep my people safe.”

  “Your people? You don’t think that I have the same right?” As she said it, Carth sent a surge of both flame and shadow. The mixture often had interesting effects; this time she sent it in a sweeping explosion away from her, pressing Marna back. The woman blinked, giving Carth a moment to jump, drive her elbow into her back, sending Marna sprawling forward.

  Carth danced back, rather than finishing her. “As I said, all I want is answers.”

  Marna shook her head as she pushed off the deck of the ship. Her eyes glazed for a moment before clearing, her jaw working.

  She was chewing something. Whatever it was, it was the reason Marna had the powers she did. That was something she could use, if she could gain that knowledge.

  Marna sat on the deck, cupping her hands across her lap. “You won’t get what you want out of me. I don’t have the answers you seek.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.”

  Marna laughed. “You can attack me, but others will attempt to replace me. I managed to keep the network together, something none of my predecessors have ever managed. Do you think you can do better?”

  Carth leaned against the railing, feeling a hint of the spray washing over her. The ship had slowed during their fight, Carth no longer using the shadows to drive it forward. It had served its purpose; she had gone as far out as she needed to. Now she was deep enough into the sea that Marna wouldn’t be able to jump in and swim back. Carth didn’t have an easily accessible dinghy on board either for her to steal. Given that Carth suspected she had no significant abilities other than whatever she was given through the augmentations, she didn’t fear her reaching the shore easily from here.

  “I don’t want your network,” Carth said.

  Marna frowned at that. “Then why attack me? Why come after my suppliers?”

  “Because your suppliers gave me access to you. You’re concerned about your smuggling connections, and I’m concerned about my informational network. It is possible that we could work together.”

  Marna stood, shaking herself. “I’ve tried working with others before. It doesn’t always work so well.”

  “For them or for you?”

  “Yes.”

  Carth actually laughed. In spite of herself, she found herself respecting Marna. She was talented, and she was strong, something few enough people Carth had met were. If they could find a way to work together, Carth could solidify her connections in Asador, and she could begin working on the connections elsewhere.

  “I need to know who supplies you with your compounds. I need to know who your herbalist is.”

  Marna laughed darkly. “I’m surprised that matters to you. Seeing how you don’t have any use for these abilities, since you have those of your own. In Asador, we have to find other ways. There are more than a few who have abilities of their own, and we’ve been forced to adapt.”

  “Such as the Hjan?”

  Marna’s eyes widened slightly. “Such as them. There are others. If we don’t have a strong enough front, they will be successful.”

  “But you have someone who supplies you. I’ve met others like that. There’s one in particular, a woman by the name of Hoga”—Carth watched Marna’s face as she said Hoga’s name—“who have various concoctions that give them abilities. They use theirs to fight the Hjan. I have fought the Hjan. I have faced them more than once and prevailed. I don’t need the mixtures to do so, but I do need to know where Hoga has gone to find out who sent the assassi
n.”

  “And then? What do you plan if you find out who sent this assassin?”

  “What I told you from the first moment I met you. I intend to claim my revenge.”

  18

  Carth waited at the table inside the small room. Marna had instructed her to meet here, and Carth had agreed to it, thinking that if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be able to meet with Hoga. More than anything, she needed to find this woman. Alex had significant knowledge of herbs, and medicines, but she was still limited in her overall knowledge. What Carth needed was answers to who had sent the assassin to the city, so that she could not only find them, but prevent them from harming anyone else she cared about. She intended to end this assassin.

  She sat alone, a lantern on the table, and said nothing while she waited.

  Alex was with her, accompanying her mostly to verify what Hoga said, if the woman bothered showing herself. Carth had released Marna under the condition that she bring Hoga to her, and she suspected the woman would comply, especially after the way Carth had managed to capture her. Carth had made it clear that she would continue to attack the smugglers, and would destroy the smuggling ring completely if Marna didn’t cooperate. Carth wasn’t entirely certain that she wouldn’t still betray her, but had taken the chance that she wouldn’t.

  Wind whistled outside. A storm raged, sending rain rattling against the windows. It was the kind of storm rarely seen in Asador, but the kind she had known frequently while in Nyaesh. Violent storms there were a bit more common. Carth didn’t fear the rain or the wind, but she did dislike the way they prevented her from using her shadow ability to its fullest extent.

  The door rattled and she stared at it, but it didn’t open.

  Carth slammed her hands down on the table.

  Alex looked over and arched her brow.

  “I’m just getting tired of waiting. I’m not sure she’s even going to show,” Carth said.

  “You didn’t give her much choice but to respond.”

  “She had a choice, but I think she might prefer to avoid what I’ve asked of her.”

  Another gust of wind shook the door. This time, the door opened, and two cloaked men entered, followed by Marna.

  Carth watched, wondering if anyone else would follow.

  “Where is—” Carth began.

  Hoga followed Marna into the room. She had a heavy brown cloak with rain sheeting from it. When she peeled back the hood, her face appeared gaunter than it had the last time Carth had seen her. Her eyes still had a sharp intensity to them. She kept her graying hair pulled back into a tight bun, which gave her features an even more severe appearance.

  She stopped suddenly and started to turn.

  Marna grabbed her by the arm and forced her back into the room.

  “After all I’ve done for you, this is how you betray me?” Hoga asked Marna. The rage in her voice made it nearly crackle.

  “Betray? I think you have it wrong,” Marna said. “I brought you here to ensure peace.”

  Hoga grunted. “Peace? With this one, there is no peace.”

  “You were the one to initiate the attack on me,” Carth said. “If anyone has a right to be upset here, it would be me. You are still alive only because I was willing to let you live. After what you did, the way you used those women—”

  Marna released Hoga’s arm and stepped back. “Women?”

  Carth glanced from Hoga to Marna, understanding working through her. Hoga glared at Carth, and Carth decided to play this to her advantage. “Something we can discuss later,” Carth said. “For now, I’d like to focus on a different issue.”

  “Why have you brought me here?” Hoga asked Marna. She seemed to make a point of ignoring Carth, and Carth resisted the urge to grin. She didn’t blame Hoga for the sentiment; she felt much the same way towards the other woman, especially given the way she had betrayed Carth and the people of the city. But she needed Hoga, especially if she could find the source of the assassin.

  Alex surprised Carth by standing. “Hoga,” she began. “I need your help.”

  Hoga turned to her, the icy glare in her eyes not melting as she turned her anger on Alex. “You? You’ve betrayed me nearly as much as anyone else.”

  Alex stalked towards her and jabbed her in the chest with a finger. “I betrayed you? All the things that you did to those who trusted you in the city? You still walk around thinking that you’re the one who’s hurt by what you’ve done?”

  Hoga grabbed the finger jabbing her in the chest and started to twist it. “I think you’re ignoring your role in things,” Hoga said. “If I recall correctly, you were more than happy to learn what I had to share. I didn’t hear you objecting—”

  Alex slapped Hoga across the cheek.

  The older woman staggered back a step. Her eyes were wide.

  “Objecting? I had no idea what you were doing, the way you were using what we were doing, what you were teaching me. I had no idea. Had I known, I wouldn’t have agreed to participate.”

  Marna stepped between them. She gave Carth a hard stare, one that left the question lingering. Carth debated whether she would need to answer or if she could ignore the question. Carth decided that having Marna and her support was more important than keeping Hoga’s secret.

  “It seems she hasn’t shared with you why she disappeared,” Carth said.

  “What happened?” Marna asked.

  When Hoga didn’t answer, Carth stepped around the table. “Only that Hoga was involved in a slaving operation based out of Asador. If Hoga had had her way, she would have seen hundreds of women smuggled south, turned into prostitutes or worse.”

  Marna rounded on Hoga. “Is that true?”

  Hoga stared straight ahead defiantly. “I did what was necessary to protect those I cared about.”

  “Those you cared about?” Marna asked. “What about those other people care about? What about those who weren’t able to protect themselves?”

  The anger in Marna’s voice told Carth that there was something more Marna hadn’t shared, something that had hardened her.

  Marna had lost somebody.

  Could Hoga have been responsible for that as well?

  Almost too late, Carth realized that Marna was reaching for her sword.

  Carth flowed forward, pulling on shadows, and grabbed Marna’s arm before she could unsheathe. “We need her expertise. That’s why I had you bring her to me.”

  “You said she was selling women.”

  “Was. She is no longer.”

  Marna stared for a moment before shaking herself. “Yes. We will use what she knows. But then she will answer for what she’s done.”

  Hoga laughed softly. “You’re both too weak to do what you should have done. Had it been up to me, I would have—”

  Alex slapped her across the face again, silencing her. “We don’t care what you would have done. We know what you have done.”

  Hoga touched her cheek and laughed darkly again. “Such judgment from one who should not be so quick to pass that judgment. You who have done far more than you want to acknowledge. Perhaps you think you can keep that from your new master, but I know what you did.”

  Carth glanced at Alex, whose face had blanched. What had she missed? There was something there that she didn’t understand, but she needed to ask later. For now, what she needed was to discover what Hoga knew.

  Carth slipped a knife out of her pocket, surging on the flame as she did. Hoga glanced over to her, almost as if knowing.

  Could Hoga detect her using her powers? She hadn’t thought the woman had that capability, but perhaps it was something she’d ingested, some power that she given herself through a combination of medicines. If that were the case, it would make her more powerful.

  Hoga took the knife and stared at the blade. “What is this?”

  “That’s why you’re here. I need to know what that is.”

  “This is a knife,” Hoga said.

  “I know it’s a knife. What I want to know is where
it’s from.”

  Hoga turned the knife over, studying the blade. The slight tension in the corner of her eyes told Carth that the woman likely recognized it.

  “I don’t know what it is.” Hoga handed the knife back to Carth.

  Carth took it in her bare hand. “But you recognized that the blade is poisoned.”

  Hoga’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What?”

  Carth nodded to where Hoga had pulled the sleeve over her hand before taking the knife. “You knew the knife was poisoned. Before you took it from me, you knew.”

  Hoga’s eyes narrowed. “If it’s poison, how is it that you—”

  “Poison doesn’t affect me the same as it does others,” Carth said. “Now, tell me where this knife is from. I need to know who is responsible for sending an assassin into the city.”

  “Assassin? Is that what you think?”

  “I followed the man responsible. I know what I saw.”

  “If you followed the person responsible for this knife, you would be dead. Even you, the great Carthenne Rel, can’t withstand one of the—”

  She cut herself off and sneered at Carth.

  “What? What aren’t you sharing?” Marna asked.

  Hoga shot Marna a hard glare. “It doesn’t matter. Whatever she thinks she knew was wrong. Someone else might have had this knife, but they were not who she thought they were.”

  “You’re scared of them,” Carth said. “That’s why you won’t share anything with us.”

  Hoga met Carth’s gaze. “If you were as smart as you think you are, you’d be scared of them as well. The problem is, you don’t know what you don’t know.”

  “Then help me find out what I need to know. Help me make sure others aren’t attacked in the city this way.”

  “I find it interesting that you don’t recognize it, especially considering you had the help of one of them when you destroyed my shop.”

  Carth frowned, and it took a moment to realize what Hoga implied. “Timothy? That’s what you mean? Neeland has sellswords, but that is all they are. They’re mercenaries for hire. They aren’t assassins.”