An Imperial Gambit (Wardens of Issalia Book 3)

by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

  Squeezing his heels, Curan drew Gorgant to a stop. He slid to the ground and put his hand on Gorgant’s neck, the stallion shadowing him as he approached the guard beside the gate.

  “This area is forbidden,” said a guard in the black and gold armor.

  “Yes. I am aware,” Curan replied. “I have been invited here by Master Hedgewick.”

  “Do you have papers?”

  “No.”

  The guard grimaced. “How do you expect me to let you in?”

  “Send someone to find Hedgewick. He knows me.”

  “And, your name is?”

  “I am Curan DeSanus. My father is Cameron DeSanus – my mother, Head Clanswoman of the Tantarri. I am here to become a warden.”

  2

  Potential

  Cassilyn Talenz sat upon a pillow, her legs crossed, her palms facing up while her wrists rested on her knees. Although her eyes were open, she remained locked in a state of meditation. The skill was something unique to Cassie – an ability to divide her mind such that she had an awareness of her surroundings while maintaining her connection with Order. Before her brother left the Ward, Cassie had discovered a new Chaos rune while conducting this waking trance. In the weeks that had passed since Brandt left, her attempts to repeat the process and discover another rune had yielded nothing but frustration.

  From her dimly lit corner of the Atrium, Cassie watched Curan, ICON’s newest recruit, training under a Power augmentation. Tall and muscular, the Tantarri cut an impressive figure in his black training vest and tight brown breeches. He took two steps and leaped impossibly high to land upon a fourth-story platform with a thud.

  Even though it was late morning, the overcast autumn sky offered limited light and made it difficult to see him among the twisting construction of beams, poles, and ropes that formed the Jungle. Movement caught her attention when Curan appeared at the far end of the platform. He then jumped off, flipped once, and dropped to the stone floor, his knees bending to a squat as he landed. With a burst, he launched himself forward, and swung his wooden sword at a practice dummy standing a hundred feet away.

  Made from thick bundles of hay, bound with rope and cloth, the ten-foot-tall dummy weighed almost five hundred pounds. The teen’s magic-enhanced strength made it appear far, far lighter. When the sword struck the dummy, a spray of loose straw blasted from each end and sent the dummy spinning through the air. If not for the Elastic augmentation infused in the wooden sword, it certainly would have shattered upon impact. The dummy crashed to the floor twenty feet away and continued tumbling until it struck a wall.

  Curan leaped, spinning with a roundhouse kick that struck another dummy. This one sailed in a different direction, spinning end-over-end. The calm of Cassie’s meditation fell away, replaced by alarm.

  With widened eyes, she screeched and rolled off the pillow as the tumbling dummy hit the floor, bounced, struck the pillow, and continued past her. The dummy passed so close that loose straw scraped her trailing hand before it collided into the wall with a deep thump.

  Lying on her stomach, Cassie stared at the dummy as it teetered and fell on its side. She turned toward Curan and found him cringing, his blue eyes apologetic.

  “Sorry,” he said as he walked toward her. “I was imagining it as a battle with dozens of enemies surrounding me.” He glanced backward, toward the other scattered dummies littering the floor. “I guess I became caught up in the moment.” He stopped two strides away, towering over her. “Are you all right?”

  Rising to her hands and knees before standing, Cassie dusted herself off. “Yes. I’m fine, but you almost had to call a healer for me.” Her gaze landed on the dummy that had nearly crushed her. It appeared beaten, dead. “I don’t even want to think of how much that would have hurt.”

  His brow furrowed. “Couldn’t you just heal yourself?”

  “No. I can only heal others.”

  He appeared doubtful. “This is true?”

  She shrugged. “I connect with my patient’s source of Order, their life force, and use it to repair their injuries. I can’t do the same with my own source of Order. That’s just the way it works.”

  After a moment of consideration, he nodded. “Thank you. This is valuable to know.”

  In some ways, Curan reminded her of Chuli. Both were quiet, reserved, and extremely polite. And, yet, Curan struck an imposing image, matching his father in height but had not yet fully grown into his body. His eyes, deep blue and alert, continuously measuring the people around him.

  “You have been here for over a week,” Cassie spoke in a friendly tone, “but I know little about you other than you don’t seem to talk much.”

  He shrugged.

  “Yet, you are always listening, filing facts away.” She said it as a statement of fact.

  “I guess.”

  “You remind me of your father.”

  His eyes brightened. “You know him?”

  “Of course,” Cassie smiled, recalling how Cam used to pick her up and spin her over his head when she was little. At the time, it seemed as if she were soaring over the city. “He and my parents have been close friends for many years.”

  “You met him in Kantar? At the castle?”

  “Yes, I would sometimes see your father at the castle, my home. Cameron would come visit Kantar every year or two. He often shared stories of you and your sister. It was clear to me, even when I was young, that he missed you whenever he was away.”

  Cassie examined Curan more closely. The teen bore the same physique as his father, well over six-feet tall with broad shoulders to match. His darker skin, combined with brown hair and blue eyes, made it difficult to discern his origin. If not for the body art on his arms, it would be difficult to identify Curan as Tantarri.

  Her gaze then fell on the markings outlined on his right bicep. She had first thought the image was inked there as a matter of convenience, which was true. However, the symbol was more than just a Power rune. Curan’s bearing and personality reminded Cassie of his father. Behind his quiet exterior, Curan was carved from reliable integrity. Power was not a toy to him. It was a tool used to defend others – a means of expressing compassion toward those who could not defend themselves.

  Still, the symbol on his arm made it possible to perform an augmentation instantly when needed. After consideration, Cassie decided that a Power rune permanently marking a wildcat was a stroke of genius. In fact, it was something she wished for all wildcats. She wondered if ICON’s leaders would agree.

  “I last saw Cam two years ago,” Cassie said as she began crossing the room with Curan at her side. “He spoke highly of you. I could see his pride when he described the skills you had developed. Your father said that you would become a strong defender of your people, so I’m surprised your parents agreed to let you join us. Not only will they miss their son, but your people will miss your skill as a warrior. Sending you here was a sacrifice. As a warden, you fight not just for the Tantarri, but for all citizens across Issalia.”

  Cassie then noticed Delvin standing on his balcony, watching her and Curan as they crossed the Atrium. He gave her a nod, turned and faded from view. How long had he been watching? What is that man up to, now?

  Curan spoke as they continued across the room. “When Chuli came to us, my mother wished to deny the request that I come to Fallbrandt. I was eager and argued for it. I love my people, but I yearn to make a difference.

  “I have been training as a warrior since I was eight summers, learning all I could from my father and from the other leaders. They tell me my potential is great, yet I remained untested outside of a sparring circle. Unless war comes to Tantarri lands, something I never wish to see, I would live my entire life with that potential unfulfilled.”

  When Curan stopped in the middle of the room, Cassie did as well.

  His eyes were downcast while he spoke. “Despite my eagerness and attempts to convince her, my mother would not relent. Her attitude was fierce, and her stance firmly against my l
eaving. Despite this, my father’s quiet way has an effect on my mother...always has. He merely moved close, took her hand in his, and asked her Would you deny our son the right to fulfill his purpose?”

  Curan’s lips turned up with the hint of smile. “With a fierceness that would make anyone else flinch, mother stared into his eyes. I watched closely, fearing my chance would pass me by. And then, she rested her head against his shoulder and hugged him. My mother is not always in the right, but she would never admit it aloud. I know her manner well. The hug was her way of relenting. My father and I had won.”

  “I’m glad to have you here.” Cassie gave him a friendly smile.

  The door opened and Everson entered the room, joined by the sound of whirring with each step he took. Of average height and build, the dark-haired gadgeteer appeared unremarkable until you saw the mechanical legs that allowed him to walk. Even without that invention, Cassie knew the teen’s mind was far from unremarkable. Quite the opposite, actually.

  Flashing a smile, Everson called out, “Cassie! I’m glad I found you.”

  “Hello, Ev,” she replied. “I was watching Curan train while under a Power augmentation. I thought it best to stick around in case he somehow injured himself.”

  Curan snorted at the comment.

  “Did you eat yet?” Everson asked.

  Cassie shook her head. “No. I was planning to grab lunch when we were finished here.”

  “Perfect. I’ll eat with you, and…if you aren’t occupied for the afternoon, I could use your help with some enchanting.”

  Cassie resisted the urge to frown. “What about Rena?”

  “Henrick has her working on his submergible experiment.”

  “His what?”

  “Never mind. Can you do it?” Everson’s eyes were pleading. “Ivy and I requested Nindlerod, Hedgewick, and Firellus to witness the trial late this afternoon, but there are a number of late modifications that require an augmentation.”

  Cassie stared into Everson’s forlorn eyes, grasping for an excuse before her conscience gathered momentum. Too late. You’ve lost, Cassie. She sighed.

  “Fine. We can eat, and then I’ll meet you in the Forge.” Cassie turned toward Curan. “It’s been an hour. Your augmentation should soon be wearing off.” A quick survey of the room revealed over a dozen of the heavy sparring dummies, all lying on their sides, scattered like leaves stirred by a gust of wind. “You had better begin stacking the dummies beside the wall. If you wait much longer, they will feel far heavier…perhaps too heavy for even you to manage on your own.”

  Curan strode toward the nearest dummy. “Good idea. I’ll clean up and meet you in the dining hall.”

  Cassie sat alone, her inner-self floating in the ether. She held tight to her own source of Order while gathering latent Order from her surroundings. Once collected and channeled by her will, Order encased the Chaos inside the wooden strip, capturing it. With the raging storm of Chaos symbols sealed within the harmony of Order, she opened her eyes and examined her handiwork.

  The knobbed wooden strip that wrapped about half of the wheel appeared no different than it had before the Infusion. She pressed a finger into it. When she lifted the finger, a dimple appeared briefly before filling as if it had never existed. The result was identical to her prior attempts on the other wheels.

  “How are you faring?” A voice came from behind her.

  Cassie turned to find Everson approaching. “I just finished the last one.”

  His eyebrows rose in surprise. “You did both strips? On every wheel?”

  She wiped the sweat from her brow and nodded. “Yes. It’s harder than it appears. The concentration and effort required to gather Order outside a living thing is not trivial.”

  “Other arcanists have said the same thing, but I didn’t expect you to finish so soon. You’re faster than Rena and much faster than Deirdre.”

  Everson’s statement rekindled something Master Wykatt had said to Cassie and her brother just weeks prior. Considering the strength your parents possess with magic, you two may be just scratching the surface of your full potential. Cassie was determined to discover where her potential might lead.

  “Well, if you have nothing else for me, I should go practice my meditation.”

  A girl with a slender build, straight black hair, and a pale complexion sidled up beside Everson. “Don’t you want to see us test it?” Ivy asked.

  Cassie turned toward the machine and considered the idea.

  Steam-powered carriages were a rarity, but this one was unique beyond anything normal. At first glance, it appeared similar to the steam carriage her parents used back in Kantar. The visible modifications were understated, but the result might be amazing.

  With her curiosity piqued, Cassie nodded in response. “Yes. I would like to see it.”

  “Perfect,” Everson said before turning toward Ivy. “By now, Nindlerod should be finished teaching class at the academy. Gather the other gadgeteers so they can help push this thing outside while I assemble the masters.”

  “Everson…” Ivy’s tone was one of warning.

  “Oops. Sorry.” With an exaggeratedly serious expression, he took her hand. “My dear. would you grace me with a favor? I would greatly appreciate it if you could gather a few others and push our creation outside. Please?”

  Ivy rolled her eyes. “Sometimes, you remind me of your sister. Yes. I’ll see you outside in a bit.”

  While Everson walked away, Cassie noted how Ivy’s gaze followed him. The look in her eyes said it all.

  “You love him.”

  Ivy blinked and turned toward Cassie. “What?”

  “You and Everson are always together. I see the way you look at him.”

  Ivy blushed, her eyes flicking toward Everson as he exited the room. “I am very fond of him.”

  “Does he know?”

  “Yes. I think so. We have been…seeing each other lately…spending time together outside the Forge.”

  Cassie smiled and gripped the girl’s hand. “That’s wonderful, Ivy. How does he feel about you?”

  With her large, dark eyes downcast, Ivy shrugged. “I’m not sure. I…I’m just happy to be with him for now, so I don’t ask.”

  “Have you kissed him?”

  Ivy’s blush deepened by two shades, but she grinned when her eyes lifted to look at Cassie.

  “You have.” Cassie nodded. “Good. Keep kissing him. That should help to reel him in if he is unsure. And if that doesn’t work, there are other things you can try…”

  Ivy gasped. “Cassilyn!”

  Cassie laughed. “I’m just saying…”

  “No. No need to say more.” Ivy glanced toward the door Everson had passed through, her expression becoming contemplative. “I don’t know what the future holds for us, but as long as I’m with Everson, I’m happy.” Her lips pulled up in a devilish smirk. “We’ll see. Perhaps kissing is not the end of it.”

  3

  Danger

  A gust of north wind whistled through the gap between the stable and the Ward. Everson Gulagas secured the top button of his coat, cinching his collar to keep the next blast from sneaking in. He watched two old men, both leaning on canes while they walked beside a third man who was in his middle years. Canes had once been Everson’s friend...his only means of walking. He glanced down at his legs, sealed in metal that housed actuators, pumps, and a powerful energy source – his greatest invention powered by an amazing discovery. No. I don’t miss my canes one bit.

  Everson watched the three masters as they approached the appointed position along the inside of the western wall. Beyond the men, a portion of the wall was noticeably lighter in tone than the rest – evidence of a recent repair. Everson found himself wishing he had seen the incident, but only Cassie and Brandt had been present when the animated boulder smashed through the wall. Regardless, Cassie’s discovery of the Speed rune was the type of thing that fueled Everson’s inspiration. I must discover other applications for that rune, h
e thought. Increasing the speed of an animate, living thing, is amazing, but there must be other ways to use such an augmentation.

  Ivy stood beside him, grasping her collar with both hands to keep the wind at bay. When Everson slipped his arm around her, she leaned toward him, huddling close for warmth. The heat of her body pressed against him stirred his blood. A twist of his head put his face in her long, dark hair, the scent reminding him of a blooming garden. Beyond Ivy, Cassie shifted impatiently, her cloak held tight, her hood up, her brown curls mostly hidden.

  When Everson looked north again, masters Nindlerod, Firellus, and Hedgewick had come to a stop. Their backs faced the recently repaired section of the wall. Master Hedgewick waved, and Everson used his free hand to wave back. With the road open and the men ready to witness the trial run, he turned to Ivy.

  “It’s time.” An eagerness tempered by anxiety fluttered in his stomach. “Let’s climb aboard and see what this thing can do.”

  He reluctantly removed his arm from about Ivy and opened the door to the steam carriage. Ivy put her hand on his shoulder as he helped her climb aboard.

  Everson turned to Cassie. “Come on. Let’s not make them wait.”

  Cassie green eyes widened in alarm. “What?” She stared at the steam carriage as if it were a mechanical beast, ready to eat her. “I’m to ride with you?”

  He grinned. “Sure. Why not? There is enough room.”

  “Is it…safe?” Her eyes shifted from Everson, to the carriage, and back.

  “Trust me. I know what I am doing. Since when are you afraid of danger, anyway?”