“Tell me,” he said gently, wishing for all the world that he could touch her.
“Phane has the final keystone,” she said like a pronouncement of doom. “We’re headed for the Nether Gate right now.”
“We knew it was only a matter of time,” Alexander said. “Honestly, I think that helps us.”
“How can you possibly say that?”
He sighed. “I wish I could explain my thinking in detail, but I can’t risk Phane learning our plans.”
She nodded, looking down at her feet for several moments.
“He made Horace into a shade,” she whispered.
Alexander closed his eyes, a thrill of fear and revulsion racing through him. Of all the things she might have said, that was the least expected and the least welcome.
“And he used me to do it.”
“Oh, Dear Maker, Isabel, I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”
“Not really,” she said. “Somehow he’s figured out how to access the darkness within me and use it for his purposes … and there’s nothing I can do about it , except—”
The despair and hopelessness he saw in her colors finished the sentence for her. The thought of losing her, that she might take her own life, was beyond his ability to bear. He could take a great deal of pain and suffering, more than most, he suspected, but not that.
“Isabel! Listen to me. You have to hold on. You have to fight, no matter what.”
“But he’s using me to—” She started crying again, pulling her knees up to her chest and holding them against herself tightly. “How can I let him use me to hurt people?”
“I need you to focus,” he said intently. “I know you’re afraid, but I need you to tell me exactly how he turned Horace into a shade.” It broke his heart to see her this way. As much as he genuinely needed to know the details of Horace’s transformation, he wanted to give her a reason to distance herself from her emotions even more, to remind her that her training as a witch gave her the power to step back from her feelings and impose her will on her emotions rather than letting them control her.
“Hector sold his soul to the Taker in exchange for Horace’s life,” she said, snorting derisively. “I tried to reason with him. I tried to tell him that Phane was betraying him, but he wouldn’t listen. He was more willing to believe a lie that he wanted to believe than a truth that he didn’t want to be true.”
“So Hector’s dead, then?”
“No … the Taker said that Horace would live for as long as Hector does. That’s when Phane collared him, put him to sleep and locked him in a box. And now, Horace will do whatever Phane tells him to. The bastard has his very own shade.”
Alexander paused, his mind reeling at the implications.
“What?” she said, her curiosity momentarily overcoming her despair.
“Are you sure he said that? Are you sure Horace will die when Hector dies?”
She nodded, a frown of confusion furrowing her brow.
“I wish I could kiss you right now,” he said, smiling broadly. “I think you just gave me exactly what I need.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You don’t have to. I’ll tell you all about it some other time, I promise.”
She sniffed again, some of her characteristic confidence returning to her colors.
“Tell me you have a plan,” she said.
“I have a plan—several, in fact. So how did Phane get the box open? Did Lacy help him?”
“No, she fought him every step of the way. She’s got more courage than I gave her credit for.”
“So she’s still alive then?”
“She is. She’s in one of the other wagons.”
He nodded to himself.
“She actually stabbed Phane,” Isabel said with a hint of mirth. “I managed to gain access to the light and hit him with my Maker’s light spell. He was dazed for a few seconds. Really, I think he got his first taste of conscience and didn’t know how to handle the guilt and shame. Lacy didn’t hesitate for a second.”
“Sounds like you admire her.”
“I do. I have magic and training—she grew up a pampered princess. All things considered, she’s impressed me, but more than that, we’ve become friends.”
“Good. I’m glad you have a friend and ally close at hand. There may come a time when you need each other.”
“Phane’s been keeping us apart since we tried to kill him, and he put this around my neck.” She tapped the Andalian slave collar.
“You didn’t get the ring I sent?”
She smiled, leaning in close to whisper, “Slyder has it.”
“Sounds like you might get another chance at Phane then.”
“I hope so,” she said.
“I love you, Isabel. And I need you. Remember that always.”
She nodded. “I love you, too.”
He slipped back into the firmament and thought of Wyatt, finding him in a cave with Ayela and a few dozen of her soldiers. They were standing around a table littered with maps, discussing the insanity of assaulting the fortress city.
An older-looking man shook his head, clenching his jaw. “This is madness. The Regency stronghold is impregnable. Your father would never condone such a reckless attack.”
Alexander appeared at the table opposite Wyatt and Ayela.
Most of the men were startled by his sudden appearance, including the man arguing against an assault.
“Lord Reishi,” Wyatt said. “You’re a welcome sight.”
“How is this possible?” the older man demanded, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Wizardry,” Ayela said, clearly exasperated.
“Wizardry is a crime,” he said.
“It was a crime when the Sin’Rath had their hooks in every man of importance on this isle, but not anymore,” Ayela said.
“And you are?” Alexander asked him, ignoring the tension in the air.
“General Janos, commander of the Karth Army.”
“General, how many men do you command?”
He looked from Alexander to Ayela, seeming a bit confused as to who was in charge.
Ayela sighed wearily. “He has two legions.”
“Good. How soon can you get to the fortress city?”
“Such an attack is suicide,” Janos said, now back on familiar ground.
“Not if Phane is gone,” Alexander said, “and he is.”
“What do you mean?” Janos demanded.
“Phane is headed for the Reishi Isle, along with a legion of his troops. The fortress city is vulnerable.”
“How can you possibly know this?” Janos said, uncertainty creeping into his demeanor.
“The same way I’m standing here talking with you when I’m really half a world away,” Alexander said, continuing before Janos could respond. “I understand that all of this is difficult for you to accept, General, but I need your help. Now, how quickly can your forces be ready to attack the fortress city?”
He hesitated, frowning deeply before answering. “A week, ten days at the outside, but—”
“Good,” Alexander said. “Get them moving in that direction.”
“I do not answer to you,” Janos said. “Severine Karth is my king.”
“I see that you humans are still bickering,” Tasia said from the entrance to the cave. She walked to the table gingerly, favoring her side.
“It’s good to see that you’re healing, Tasia,” Alexander said.
“And Anja?”
“She’s safe and well. If everything goes according to plan, you’ll be seeing her in about a week.”
“How so?” Tasia asked.
“I’m coming to Karth to lead the assault against the fortress city,” Alexander said, turning to Ayela and Wyatt. “Which brings me to my next question. Can you take the Gate by then?”
“I don’t see why not,” Wyatt said. “Last report had the garrison there at just over a hundred men.”
“The Gate?” Janos said. “Why would we bother with t
he Gate? It doesn’t even work anymore.”
Alexander ignored him. “Be ready, Wyatt. I expect to come through in about a week.”
“It’ll be good to see you, Lord Reishi.”
“Severine Karth would never agree to any of this,” Janos said.
“My father isn’t here,” Ayela said. “This is what needs to be done, General.”
He clenched his jaw, frowning deeply before slowly shaking his head.
“I am the commander of Karth’s legions. My men will disperse into the jungle to defend our homes and our people. We should never have gathered here in the first place.”
Alexander turned toward him, stepping into his space. “The Seven Isles is at war, General, and you have a choice to make. You can serve the Old Law, you can serve the darkness, or you can go home. But whatever choice you make, your soldiers are going to attack the fortress city.”
The rest of the men in the cave had all turned to watch the confrontation, a few of them whispering amongst themselves.
“My men will follow my orders, and I say we’re not doing any of this,” Janos said.
Alexander regarded the man for several moments, evaluating his colors and finding him to be a decent man, though not overly courageous. Then he said, “Ayela, do you trust Wyatt?”
“Yes, with my life,” she said, taking Wyatt’s hand.
“Do your men respect him?”
“I believe they do.”
“Good. Wyatt, I’m promoting you to the rank of general and assigning you to command Karth’s legions. You will serve the Old Law and the House of Karth. Do you understand?”
“You can’t do this!” Janos said, his hand going to the hilt of his sword.
“Don’t be stupid, Human,” Tasia said.
“Stop calling me that,” Janos said, his composure beginning to fray. “You’re as human as I am, Woman. And the idea that any of you believe she’s really a dragon makes you just as crazy as she is. We’re done here. My soldiers are going back to their posts.”
He turned and strode toward the door. Alexander appeared in front of him. Janos stopped in his tracks, blinking a few times before looking back at the table where Alexander had been standing an instant before.
“How?”
“You are dismissed, General. If you attempt to interfere with our plans, you will be detained.”
“We’ll see about that,” he said, giving Alexander a wide berth on his way to the entrance.
“Is he going to be a problem?” Alexander asked.
“I doubt it,” Ayela said, turning to two of her men. “Bring him back before he can send our army packing.” The men left without a word.
“In that case, I’ll see you both in about a week,” Alexander said, pausing for a moment. “Oh, I almost forgot. Trajan is on the Reishi Isle with a number of his men.”
“Thank you, Lord Reishi. I’ve been worried about him.”
“See you soon,” he said, fading into the firmament. He thought of Lucky and found him just sitting down to a bowl of steaming hot stew with Kelvin.
“Alexander, it’s good to see you,” Lucky said. “I’d offer you a bowl, but well, you know.”
“We’ve just received word of your victory over Rake and his brigands,” Kelvin said. “It would seem that northern Ruatha is nearly secure.”
“I’m not sure I’d count it as a victory,” Alexander said. “Blackstone’s destruction is a great loss.”
“Not nearly as great a loss as New Ruatha would have been,” Kelvin said. “You saved lives, Alexander. A keep, even one as impressive as Blackstone, can be rebuilt.”
“I know, but it still galls me. If I’d arrived a day earlier, I might have been able to save it.”
Lucky gave him the smile that said he expected Alexander to arrive at the correct answer without help from his tutor.
“I know, deal in what is,” Alexander said. “I need you to send me some things.”
“All right,” Lucky said, “what do you need?”
“First, I need a healing draught capable of mending an injured dragon.”
“Is Anja wounded?” Kelvin asked with a hint of fear in his voice.
“No, Anja’s just fine. Tasia, the dragon helping Wyatt and Ayela, was injured and her wounds are healing slowly.”
Lucky frowned, thinking for a moment. “Was she wounded in her true form?”
“Yes, she was fighting another dragon possessed by the shade.”
“I see … that complicates things a bit.”
“How so?” Alexander asked.
“If her injuries were sustained in human form, she could be healed by a normal potion, but since the injuries were to her true form, the magic to heal her will have to be more potent. Nonetheless, I’m sure I can come up with something.”
“Thank you, Lucky. If I can speed her recovery, it’ll make it that much easier to take the fortress city.”
“You’re going to attack Phane in his keep?” Kelvin asked, new worry in his voice.
“No, Phane is on his way to the Reishi Isle and the Nether Gate,” Alexander said. “I’m going to kill Azugorath while he’s away and then I’m going to go get my wife.”
“Ah, and how is Isabel?” Lucky asked.
“Well enough, all things considered,” he said, not wanting to go into detail about her despair and suffering, more to spare himself from having to think about it than anything else.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Lucky said. “I may have something else that will help, though I wanted to talk to you before I had it delivered. I’ve developed a potion that will let Anja transform from dragon into human form. I have three of them, if you want them.”
“Huh—” Alexander paused to consider the ramifications of the magic that Lucky was offering.
“I haven’t been able to convince her to go home, and she would be safer, and more formidable in a fight, in her true form. Might as well give her the option.”
“Is there anything else we can do?” Kelvin asked.
“It looks like Phane and Zuhl are headed for a fight over the Nether Gate. I’d like to have as much power on the Reishi Isle as we can bring to bear when that happens. With any luck, one or the other of them will die in the fight and leave the survivor weak enough for us to take down.”
“I’ll see to it,” Kelvin said. “You’ll have every enchanted item and wizard I can send.”
“Good. Erik and Duane will be headed for the Gate soon. Have your people meet them there,” Alexander said, pausing and looking down for a moment. “There’s one other thing I need, Lucky.” He told them both of the invasion of Fellenden and Peti’s control over Zuhl’s army, then revealed his plan for defeating them. Lucky and Kelvin both fell deathly silent before Lucky nodded to himself.
“I’ll send it, of course. But I know you well enough to know that if you do this, it will haunt you for the rest of your life.”
“I know,” Alexander whispered, “but I’m not sure I have another choice.”
“Try to find another way, for your own sake,” Lucky said. “I’ll send a number of other potions as well.”
“I’ve been concentrating on enchanting arrows and slingshot bullets for use against the Lancers,” Kelvin said. “I’ll send what I have along with the last two of the smaller explosive weapons.”
“Good. If we can get Phane and Zuhl on the same battlefield at the same time, that will be our best chance of ending this war. I want to be as ready as possible.”
“We will be, Alexander,” Kelvin said.
“Take care of yourself,” Lucky said.
“I will,” Alexander said, fading out of sight.
Next he found Erik and Duane in a command tent looking at a map of northern Ruatha.
“How goes the war?” he asked.
Both men looked up, a bit startled by his sudden presence.
“One of these days I’m going to get used to that,” Erik said.
“Speak for yourself,” Duane said.
“Rake’
s men are scattered and on the run,” Erik said, giving his brother a sidelong smile. “We have a number of platoon-sized units scouring the countryside for the few that remain.”
“Do they still pose a threat?
“Not really, at least not a big threat,” Erik said. “Although I wouldn’t want to be living in a small village if a group of them came upon it.”
“Well done,” Alexander said. “Leave a detachment here to clean up and bring the bulk of your forces to the Gate.”
“Where are we going?” Duane asked.
“The Reishi Isle. Looks like we’re going to have a battle over the Nether Gate, and soon.”
Both men nodded.
“We’ll be on the road within the hour,” Erik said.
“Good man. I’ll open the Gate for you in a few days.”
He vanished, thinking of Captain Targa and finding him on the bridge of his ship.
“Hello, Captain.”
Several sailors drew weapons at his sudden appearance, but sheathed them again just as quickly when Targa waved them off.
“Lord Reishi, Regent Alaric told me to expect you to appear on my deck,” Targa said. “We’re a few days from the fortress island.”
“Good. I expect to attack in three days. Bring your fleet as close as you can without drawing attention. I’ll visit again when the Sky Knights are ready and I have a better idea of what we face.”
“Very good, Lord Reishi.”
Alexander thought of Rentu and found him sitting next to a fire, staring into the flames, deep in thought. Alexander appeared across from him. Rentu didn’t seem startled in the least. In fact, he seemed to be expecting Alexander’s arrival.
“Hello, Alexander,” he said, his pronunciation a bit off but still understandable.
“I was wondering how we were going to talk without a common language,” Alexander said.
“Wizard Dinh taught me your words.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Commander Perry tells me that you’ve been scouting for him.”
Rentu nodded somberly. “A great darkness is coming to our forest. My dreams are haunted by it and I’m powerless to protect my people against it.”
Sovereign of the Seven Isles 7: Reishi Adept Page 28
