I pointed at Russell. “Get him home.”
“What?” said Russell.
“You wish him protected,” said Corvus.
“Gosh, you just realized that?” I said. “Yes, that is what I wish. I’ve spent all day fighting through orcs trying to get him home. Get him home, and make sure he lives through the battle.” I took a deep breath. “Then I’ll answer whatever damned question you want.”
If I could.
If he asked me about Morvilind, then I would lie. I owed Corvus for saving my life at Paul McCade’s mansion. The lightning globe spell he had taught me had saved my life against the anthrophages in the Shadowlands and the Archon in the bookstore. But if he asked me about Morvilind, then I would not put Russell’s life at risk by giving him an honest answer.
But it might not matter. Corvus and Nora had followed me to Milwaukee, and while I might be able to disappear, Russell and James and Lucy could not. A Shadow Hunter would find it trivial to follow them, and it would not take long for Corvus to realize that James had once been a man-at-arms in Lord Morvilind’s service. From there it was a short logical leap to realize that Morvilind had taught me magic, that Morvilind used me to steal rare artifacts…and then Morvilind would kill me to keep his secrets.
And that would be that.
There had to be a way out. Some lie, some trick, something I could think up.
“Very well,” said Corvus. “We’ll get your brother home.”
“I assume you have a vehicle?” I said.
“A van,” said Corvus. “Stay here. Nora and I will check the stairwell. If it’s clear, we’ll come back for you and take your brother home. How far is it?”
I sighed. “68th Street. Not far from here.”
Corvus nodded and beckoned. Nora followed him, and they disappeared into the stairwell. I let out a long breath and rubbed my face, suddenly tired down to my bones. I needed to work out a plan, but I couldn’t think of anything. In another few hours, the entire web of lies that surrounded my life was about to come crashing down. Maybe if I just answered Corvus’s damn question, he would leave without any additional investigating…
“Nadia,” said Russell in a low voice.
“Yeah?” I said, opening my eyes and looking at him.
“I have to ask you something,” said Russell.
“Go ahead,” I said. God knows he might not have the chance to ever ask me anything again.
“That Shadow Hunter,” said Russell.
“I met him on Conquest Day,” I said. “One of my little jobs for Lord Morvilind. We barely got out alive. The woman…I never saw her before today.”
“No, that’s not what I wanted to ask,” said Russell.
“What, then?” I said.
“Is Corvus your boyfriend?”
I felt my jaw fell open. I suppose I looked like a damned fish, gaping at him like that.
“What?” I said at last.
“You were flirting with him,” said Russell.
“I was not.”
“You totally were,” said Russell. “You never flirt with anyone, ever. Lucy keeps introducing you to guys at church and you always give them the cold shoulder. But you were flirting with him.”
“I was not!” I was starting to get angry.
“Also, you turned a bit red when you were talking to him,” said Russell. “And I’ve never seen that happen before…”
“For God’s sake!” I said. “If I’m turning red it’s because I’ve spent all day running from orcs and Archons and God knows what else while getting shot at and…and driving into things! The damned Shadow Hunter is not my boyfriend!” Even if he was a good kisser and had impressively muscled arms…
I let out a sound of sheer exasperation. My endocrine system was not on board with my rational mind.
“Sorry,” said Russell.
I closed my eyes and rubbed my face again. “It’s okay. It’s okay, really. It’s been a bad day. For you, too. And the Shadow Hunters are dangerous, Russell. I know they’re always the good guys on TV or whatever, but they’re still assassins who kill for money. It’s a lot less romantic in real life.”
“I know,” said Russell.
We stood in silence for a moment.
“But you do have a crush on him,” said Russell.
I let out a long groan. “For God’s sake. Stop being such a…such a…”
“Teenager?” said Russell.
“Look,” I said. “I’m not the kind of woman who can have a boyfriend. What the hell am I supposed to say? ‘Hi, my name’s Nadia, and by the way, I’m an illegal wizard employed by an Elven lord to do illegal things? Want to have coffee sometime?’ I’d get arrested faster than you can blink, and…and I am not discussing this any further with my little brother.”
The door to the stairwell opened before Russell could question me further on the topic, which may have been the best stroke of luck I’d had all day.
“Miss Annovich?” said Nora, peering through the door. “Come along, please. We are ready to depart.”
“Right,” I said, and I headed for the stairs, urging Russell along. We descended to the ground level and stepped into the light of the setting sun, long shadows cutting across the lawn of the medical college. An unremarkable white van sat idling by the curb, and Corvus swung down from the driver’s seat.
“I’ll drive,” said Nora. “You take point.” Corvus raised an eyebrow. “You’re a better shot.”
“You could do like my sister does,” said Russell to Corvus, “and run over any orcs or anthrophages.”
I blinked at him. Was he trying to set me up?
“An effective tactic,” said Corvus, “but I keep my word, and I promised your sister I would get you home. It will be harder to do so if we wreck the engine.”
“Also,” said Nora, walking to the driver’s side, “we would lose the deposit on the van.”
“Yes, a man must have priorities,” said Corvus in a dry tone. He headed to the side door and pulled it open. I expected to see the van loaded with weapons and explosives and other devices, but it looked like an innocuous rental van.
Though there were a lot of black metal cases stacked in the back.
“Where are we going?” said Corvus.
I rattled off the address. “Can you get us there?”
“We shall find out,” said Corvus. “Typically the Archons open multiple rift ways for an incursion of this scale. I do not believe there were any rift ways in that sector of the city, but another one may have since opened…”
“Wait,” I said, a memory floating to the top of my mind. “Do you know what kind of relic or device the Archons use to open that many rift ways at once?”
Corvus shrugged. “The Elves have greater magical aptitude than humans. I assume they simply used a spell.”
I pulled my phone out of my pocket, unlocked it, and brought up the video app. “Have you ever seen anything like this?”
Corvus was a lot taller than I was, so he stooped a bit and gripped my phone to change the angle of the screen, his fingers brushing mine as he did. The little jolt I felt must have been static electricity. Or my magical power reacting against his. Or gun smoke on my hands. Not a jolt of attraction.
I felt Russell giving me a knowing look. I love my brother and would quite literally lay my life down for him, but sometimes I just wanted to smack him.
Corvus watched the video I had taken of the glowing sphere. “Where did you record this?”
“The Ducal Mall in Brookfield,” I said. “We were there this afternoon when the Archons attacked.”
“I see,” said Corvus. “Nora. Have you ever seen anything like this?”
The tall Shadow Hunter strolled over and peered at the display. “I have not. But you’re the wizard, Corvus.” There was a little affectionate mockery in the nickname. “If you haven’t encountered it, then I definitely haven’t.”
“I wish a copy of this video,” said Corvus, “to show to the Firstborn of our family.”
/>
“Later,” I said, slipping my phone back into my jacket. “If we live through this. If you keep your promise.”
“A fair arrangement,” said Corvus. He glanced at the sky. “We should go. I want to return your brother to his home before dark.”
“Can’t Shadow Hunters see in the dark?” said Russell.
“We can,” said Corvus, “but the other drivers cannot.”
“Good point,” said Russell.
We climbed into the van, and Nora put the vehicle into drive and set off. The acceleration pushed me back into my seat. Nora apparently liked to drive fast. We zoomed down the college’s driveway and turned east on Wisconsin Avenue with a squeal of tires. Corvus rolled down the window, produced an Uzi submachine gun from beneath the seat, and propped it on the door.
Nora soon had to slow down. Burned out-vehicles littered the street, both regular cars and the wreckage of Homeland Security cars and SUVs. It looked like a lot of fighting had taken place just east of the medical college. I saw some dead orcs, but I saw far more dead Homeland Security officers in their blue uniforms, and even men-at-arms in black harnesses adorned with the sigil of Duke Tamirlas of Milwaukee. That was a very bad sign. The Duke’s men-at-arms were better armed, better trained, and better fighters than the sort of bullies who ended up in Homeland Security. If the Archons’ orcish soldiers were winning against the men-at-arms of Duke Tamirlas and his vassals…
Maybe Milwaukee would fall to the Archons.
It seemed inconceivable that the Archons would defeat the Elven nobles…but then the Archons had chased the High Queen off the Elven homeworld, hadn’t they? I looked at Corvus, wondering if I could persuade him to get Russell and James and Lucy out of Milwaukee before I answered his second question.
Vaguely I wondered what he intended to ask me. Given all the other problems I currently faced, it seemed like a minor concern.
Dusk fell as Nora turned onto the street where the Marneys lived, where I had gone running this morning. It had been barely twelve hours ago, but it seemed like half a lifetime. So far, at least, the fighting hadn’t reached the street. A lot of veterans lived in this neighborhood, and I glimpsed people watching us through closed blinds and pulled curtains.
“There,” said Russell. “That’s my house.”
“Your father,” said Corvus. “Is he a veteran?”
Russell hesitated. “He’s…not my father. Not my birth father, anyway.”
“He was a doctor in service to an Elven lord,” I said. “He has a gun.”
Corvus nodded. “You two had better get out first.”
“You look like Rebels, you mean?” said Russell.
“Cheeky lad,” said Nora. “But, yes.”
“Aren’t Shadow Hunters immune to bullets?” said Russell.
“We’re not,” said Nora. “We can heal from them, but the process is very painful and I would prefer not to undergo it at this time.”
“Better park on the street, then,” I said. “Um. Russell. When James and Lucy ask about…”
“I know, I know,” said Russell. “I’ll keep my mouth shut. Also, I bet you guys don’t want anyone to know that you’re Shadow Hunters?”
“That would be helpful, yes,” said Corvus.
The van stopped on the street in front of the Marneys’ house. I got out, my hips and shoulders and knees aching from the day’s various mishaps. My neck was starting to hurt as well. I wondered if I had whiplash from the numerous car crashes I had instigated today. Russell followed me across the street, and Nora shut off the engine as Corvus emerged from the van.
I took another step forward…and once again pain exploded through me, every muscle seeming to contract, my blood burning in my veins, my heart hammering against my ribs as if it wanted to tear free from my chest and escape. I staggered to a stop, sweat beading on my forehead, and squeezed my eyes against the pain.
Morvilind’s location spell, but not the summoning. He must have been looking for me. But why?
“Are you all right?”
Russell’s fingers grasped my arm, and bit by bit the roaring in my ears subsided.
“Fine,” I muttered, shaking my head. “I’m fine. Really. Just dizzy.”
“Clearly you are not,” said Corvus. “Are…”
The front door to the house swung open, and James hobbled into sight, his face grim. He was walking without his cane, which was bad, but he needed both hands to carry the M-99 carbine he wasn’t quite pointing at Corvus and Nora. Most American men-at-arms carried the M-99 carbine, based on the old M-16 and M-4 designs that had been in use before the Conquest. It wasn’t as resilient as the AK-47, but it was more accurate, and James knew how to use it properly.
“Russell?” James called out. “Nadia? Is that you?”
I saw Corvus’s eyes flick toward me. So much for keeping my real name hidden from him, but at this point that had been a slim hope.
“Yeah, it’s us,” said Russell, jogging across the street. Lucy emerged from the house as well, carrying a shotgun. Like any good wife of a discharged veteran, she went shooting with her husband, and was pretty good at it. Certainly she was a better shot than I was. “Don’t shoot!”
“God be praised. Who’s with you?” said James.
“They’re,” I said, searching for a word, “friendly. They helped us get here after we got away from the Ducal Mall. The streets are crawling with orcish soldiers.” I didn’t want to tell them about the anthrophages unless I could help it.
“Good evening, sir,” said Nora. “My name is Nora Childress, and this is my commander, who has for some reason chosen to go under the name of Corvus while in Milwaukee.” Corvus rolled his eyes. “We happened to encounter Russell and Nadia, and decided to escort them home.”
“Why?” said James. The M-99 didn’t waver. “Not that I’m ungrateful, mind, but you both look a little young to be veterans, and you’re not Homeland Security officers.”
“I can vouch for them,” I said. “I met them as part of my work.”
“Your duties with Lord Morvilind?” said James.
It was completely innocent. He didn’t mean anything by it, and he was just trying to keep me and Russell safe. But with that question, with five simple words, he had just signed my death warrant.
“Yes,” I said, my throat dry as dust. “I did.”
I glanced at Corvus, and saw him staring at me. I couldn’t read his expression, but he had gone utterly motionless. Was he surprised? Confused? Angry? I couldn’t tell.
Yet I had the impression that he was angry.
In fact, I thought he was furious. But I didn’t think it was with me.
“Corvus,” said Nora in a soft voice.
“Later,” said Corvus, the word harsh. He stepped forward, hands raised and away from his weapon. “Sir, we mean you no harm. We…”
“You’re a Shadow Hunter,” said James, the carbine’s barrel shifting a bit towards Corvus.
“There’s no such thing,” said Corvus.
“Son,” said James in the tone he used when lecturing a recalcitrant patient about his blood pressure, “I’m old and crippled, but I’m not stupid. I saw the edge of the tattoo on your neck when I mentioned Lord Morvilind. I was a medic of the men-at-arms for a long time, and I saw a Shadow Hunter once. I know what you are. I don’t care.” He shrugged a little, the gun unwavering. “With all the Rebels and Archons running about the streets, maybe we could use a Shadow Hunter or two. But what do you want with Nadia and Russell?”
“I wish nothing of her brother,” said Corvus. “For Nadia herself, I wish only to ask a single question.”
“A question?” said James.
“A question,” said Corvus. “The answer has become, I think, clearer to me in the last two minutes. But I wish only to ask her a single question, and then I shall be on my way.”
James looked nonplussed. “A question?”
“That is all.”
“You came all this way to ask her on a date?” said Ja
mes.
“For God’s sake!” I said.
“Language, dear,” said Lucy automatically
“For God’s sake!” I said again.
“That was not the question, no,” said Corvus. “I agreed…”
“How about,” I said, “we all get off the damn…I mean, the darned lawn and go in the darned house to talk about our darned problems before we get shot to death by some darned orcs?”
They all stared at me for a moment.
“Sensible,” agreed Nora.
“Truly,” said James, stepping away from the door. “All right, everyone get inside. We can talk more there. I don’t know how much longer the neighborhood will be safe. We might have to get out of Milwaukee entirely. I…”
Shouts rang out, and I saw men running down the alley behind the Marneys’ house. We all spun in that direction, and the men ran through the Marneys’ yard and into the driveway, spilling onto the sidewalk and street.
They were Homeland Security officers, dozens of them in their blue uniforms, though some of them had on flak vests. All of the officers clutched pistols or tactical shotguns, and every single one of them looked terrified. Many had been wounded, their uniforms stained with blood. The officers saw us, and started shouting, pointing their guns at us. I raised my hands, and Corvus and James and the others lowered their weapons.
“Listen to me,” said James. “We…”
“Shut up!” said one of the Homeland Security officers, shoving his way to the front of the crowd. He was fat, verging on obese, his gut making his blue uniform jacket look like a giant blueberry. His nameplate read WILBURN, and he had a colonel’s insignia upon his collar.
“Sir,” said James, “we…”
“You are Rebels!” roared Wilburn, his face red and sweating and terrified. I saw a mixture of rage and stark, naked terror upon his face. I wondered how badly the orcs had beaten his men. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. We couldn’t have been defeated otherwise. There are Rebel traitors in the city, and they let the orcs inside!”
He was right, but we weren’t the Rebels. He was looking for a scapegoat, and we were a prime target.
“Sir!” said one of the officers, pointing at me. “The girl’s got an AK-47! The orcs must have given it to them!”
Cloak Games: Omnibus One Page 43
