Shadow Games (The Collector Chronicles Book 2)

by D. K. Holmberg

  The person who appeared was not who she expected.

  He was an older man with dark hair and flat black eyes, incredibly well-dressed. In another time—and place—he might be attractive. “Alistan Rhain.”

  He smiled. “You weren’t expecting me?”

  There had been a time when she had believed him to be the Collector. Then she had thought he only sat on the tribunal. Now she wasn’t certain. “Why are you here? I did you a favor, attacking the Collector’s ships.”

  “A favor? You’ve brought his attention here. How is that a favor?”

  “I intended to show that I would protect Keyall.”

  Rhain laughed. “Do you honestly believe that you can?”

  “I have in other places.”

  “Keyall isn’t like other places.”

  She had seen that to be true, and even questioned whether she needed to be involved, especially with the constables holding the power that they did. If she didn’t do the same as she had in other places, could she still work with the constables? “What does that mean?”

  Rhain only shrugged. “It means what it means. You are here, a guest of the tribunal, until your sentence is decided.” He smiled, an expression that was surprisingly predatory. “If you were able to escape, you would have done so. That tells me that you are well and truly captured. The thing about Keyall is that it is carved out of a strange section of the coast, a place born of fire long ago that sloughed off before falling into the sea.” He leaned against the narrow wall of her cell. “What’s interesting about it is how it has a natural resistance to heat, especially as it came from heat.”

  How was it possible that the stone the city sat upon resisted her?

  “And the shadows?” Since he was answering questions, maybe he would answer questions about that as well.

  “That is a simpler answer. The stone is incredibly hard. Nothing cuts into the surface.”

  She glanced around the cave and he laughed. “Yes, you would be right in questioning why these caves are here, but I’m afraid I don’t have an answer to that. It’s possible that they were carved by a magic greater than what we know, but I believe that they were created when all of this formed. Heat expanded and created a bubble so that these openings were made naturally. They are quite useful.”

  Carth frowned. “You are better educated than most merchants I’ve met.”

  He tipped his head. “You have met many merchants, haven’t you, Carthenne Rel? But I have studied in many places, collecting knowledge.”

  It was an interesting choice of words. Had she been wrong? Was he the Collector? “Such as?”

  He shrugged. “Many places. Asador. Obal. Thyr.” Seeing the frown on her face, he smiled. “Yes, even Thyr.”

  Obal? Why would he mention that city? She pushed away the question. “Then you know what is there. You know my purpose.”

  “I have more experience with the Hjan than you realize.”

  “Is that why you’re here? I know you’re not from Keyall originally. Did you come to find something that will help you counter them? Why tell me that… unless you need me for something. Is that why you came here?”

  Rhain stepped back and chuckled. “There’s the mind that I was led to believe you possessed. Yes. The Hjan are dangerous, though I would like to think that we could be equally dangerous here.”

  “Whatever you’re after, you can’t reach it on your own.”

  “In that, you would be correct. There is something that I cannot reach.”

  “Why do you think that I can?”

  “Let’s just say that I have a hunch that you have the necessary skill set for this.”

  “No.”

  He frowned. “No? Just like that?”

  Carth shrugged. “Just like that.”

  “You haven’t heard what I would offer in exchange.”

  Carth snorted. “You think you can barter with my friends’ safety? I believe you’re connected to the constables, but I doubt they would let me simply leave.”

  “No, perhaps they would not allow you to simply leave, but I would offer you something greater than your friends, though if you complete this for me, you would be granted something even more than your friends’ safety.”

  Carth waited. She didn’t doubt that Rhain would know how to appeal to her, nor did she doubt that he would have something that might sway her. She wasn’t expecting what he said next.

  “If you do this, I will convince the tribunal to free you… and your friends.”

  5

  Carth sat near the back of the cell, barely able to move. How could she when she wanted nothing more than to pace while trying to determine what Rhain would have her do? She didn’t know whether his offer was genuine or not, but if it was, how could she not take it? Only, she wasn’t sure that it was genuine. This was the man who had brought the smugglers to Keyall, willing to risk an attack so he could continue to gain wealth. To collect wealth.

  That had to be it, didn’t it?

  The mystery she’d struggled to solve had been there all along.

  A part of her wondered if Rhain was the collector, but could he be? He wanted power, and would he have that if he attempted to destroy Keyall?

  What did he want from her now?

  It might be another maneuver.

  What if he was even more skilled at Tsatsun than she was? She would have loved the opportunity to play him on a board rather than play him like this, but this might be the only way she was allowed to play him.

  What would he gain by allowing her to rescue her friends? Other than her cooperation.

  Something he had said troubled her.

  Where had he studied?

  The list of the cities came to mind, but it was one of them that troubled her the most. Obal was rare enough, a minor place of study in the scheme of things, and he had said it almost intentionally.

  Why Obal?

  The same place she had come to know Linsay.

  Carth tried not to make too many connections, but they were there, regardless of what she wanted. She had been the one to suggest that they continue south, thinking that they could find a way to further neutralize the Hjan, and Carth had been so blinded by her desire to do so that she had been willing to listen, even when she should have known better.

  Could Linsay be working for the Collector?

  No.

  But the Collector had known about Carth for a while. He had been collecting information about her for even longer. Which meant that he could have been playing a long game with her—much longer than she had known.

  Could the Collector have maneuvered her to come here?

  Carth tried slowing her thoughts, thinking through what she knew. She had dealt him a setback. He had been irritated by the way she had started defending the other merchants, determined to drive him out—hadn’t he?

  Could it be that he wanted her to attack to draw her in?

  Hadn’t he proven that he would use people around him for diversions? The Collector didn’t seem to care about others, not enough that they would mean anything to him.

  It bothered her that she wouldn’t have seen it, but if she were trying to play someone like herself, wouldn’t she have done the same thing?

  It was late in the day when the platform lowered again. Carth barely looked up—until she realized that Linsay was on the platform.

  “Come on. I’m here to help you escape.”

  “Are you?” She stared at the ground.

  “Carth? We should go. I don’t know how long I can hold—”

  Carth looked up. “Did you betray us, Linsay?”

  Linsay’s eyes were wide. “Carth?”

  “I see it now. I should have made the connection before. You were always skilled at Tsatsun, but reserved. There were times when you would show flashes, but I had it in my head that those flashes were nothing more than chance—the luck of an emerging player. You’ve been with him all this time, haven’t you?”

  Linsay gripped the rope of the pla
tform and didn’t move. Her eyes flashed with a hint of irritation that made Carth question whether she had been right.

  “I don’t know—”

  “Those weren’t flashes at all. You had been suppressing your ability with me. Downplaying it. All while trying to determine my tendencies.” What a way to play. Linsay had acquired everything she had needed to know for the Collector to use her, to play her the way that he had. “And the others never knew,” Carth said. “I thought the reason you weren’t taken like the others was because you were lucky, but that wasn’t it. The Collector didn’t want for you to be taken, did he?”

  “I can’t believe you would say something like that, Carth. I came here to try and help get you out. We can get the others. I know how to find them.”

  “Of course you do.”

  “That’s not what this is.”

  “Obal, Linsay. You were there with him, weren’t you?”

  Her breath caught, and Carth knew that she was right. She hated that she was.

  “Why? That doesn’t suit you. Not the woman I know.” If nothing else, Carth did know Linsay, and this didn’t fit. She had been reluctant and then eager to take enhancements. She had fought alongside the rest of them. And she had been hurt when Jenna was placed into the stocks. She was a skilled actor—she had to be to have convinced Carth that she was nothing more than she appeared—but there were emotions that would be difficult to fake.

  “You’re wrong. You’ve got it wrong.”

  Carth stood. “I wish that I did. That’s what hurts me the most. If you’ve learned nothing about me, you should know that I truly want to help the people who are with me. I wanted to help you. I wanted to help Jenna. Alayna. So many others. And you would take that from them.”

  “Carth?”

  Her voice was soft and reminded Carth of when they had first met. She had seemed so meek, and the change in her had been welcomed. Carth had been thrilled as Linsay had gradually come out of her shell—or at least had seemed to. Maybe she had never needed what Carth offered.

  Everything took on a different light now than it had before. She replayed every interaction she had had with Linsay over the last year they had been together. In that time, could everything have been about collecting information?

  “Tell your master that I won’t take on his task. Not if it means he acquires power to confront the Hjan.”

  “The Hjan?”

  Carth sniffed. “Yes. The Hjan. I will not risk the accords. If you knew anything about me, you would know that. Make sure he understands.”

  Linsay reached for the platform and stepped back on it. “I don’t know why you’re saying the things that you are, but they’re hurtful, Carth.”

  “Tell him.”

  Linsay looked at Carth with an expression ringed with sadness. For a moment, Carth wondered if she was making a mistake, but were Linsay truly worried about Carth’s response, she would have worn a different expression. It was the reason that Carth thought she was making the right decision.

  That still didn’t help with how she was going to escape.

  How would she get out?

  She was comfortable waiting until the tribunal, but if the Collector was determined to force her to help, maybe she couldn’t wait. Unless… he wanted her to wait until she was brought before the tribunal. It bothered her that she didn’t know. It could be that she was doing exactly what he wanted of her, or it could be that she was overthinking things.

  Then again, she believed that he had outplayed her. That was the only explanation that fit. Surprisingly, she didn’t mind the idea that she had been outplayed by a master of Tsatsun. What bothered her was that she had allowed Linsay to manipulate her. She should have been better than that.

  What she needed was to determine what the Collector was after. If it was the Elder Stone—and the fact that he sought some item of power that he believed would be potent enough to defeat the Hjan made her think that might be what he was after—how did he anticipate that she would acquire it?

  Rather than attempting an escape, Carth waited.

  She had no other choice. If she attempted anything, she risked doing exactly what he wanted, and she was determined not to do that, though she was no longer certain that she could avoid playing into his hands.

  When a shadow drifted in front of the cave entrance, she looked up. Who would it be this time?

  There was a part of her that was disappointed to see the constable. He carried a basket with him, this time heavy with bread and a cask of what smelled like wine. Her stomach rumbled, betraying her. She didn’t want him to know that she was hungry or thirsty, didn’t want him to know that she had not eaten anything that he had brought. Instead, she had tossed everything over the edge and out into the sea.

  “You can eat. You don’t have to worry that I’ve poisoned it,” he said.

  Carth shook her head. “I don’t? That’s exactly the sort of thing that someone would say if they did poison it.”

  He set the basket down and slid it toward her feet.

  “The tribunal prepares for the visit.”

  Carth hesitated. There was something about the way that he said it that made her question what was going to take place. “The tribunal will come here?”

  He laughed. He didn’t bother to stay away from her, as if not mindful of the fact that she could attack him. She still had not discovered whether he had some ability that protected him or whether he was protected by some natural defenses that came from Keyall.

  “And risk you escaping? The tribunal recognizes that we are lucky to have captured you here. If we brought you out of this cell, we would run the risk of you escaping. I think everyone is fully aware of how difficult it would be to recapture you. No one wants to risk that.”

  That had been what she’d counted on. She had hoped that they would be willing to risk bringing her from the cell, as it would be the only way for her to possibly manage to escape. Now—if they intended to come here—she was left with the choice of risking her escape or attacking the tribunal. If she did attack the tribunal, would she endanger her friends? She wouldn’t put it past the constable to have placed some sort of defenses around them so that if she did attack—and if she did attempt to escape—they would react.

  “How much longer do I have before the tribunal meets?” He had told her she had three days, but had that changed since she had refused to do what the Collector had asked?

  “The timing hasn’t changed. You have two more days.”

  “What do you mean I have two more days?”

  He shrugged. “You have been given two days to prepare your defense.”

  Carth smiled. “How can I prepare my defense while I am trapped here?”

  “If what you have told me is the truth”—he arched a brow at her, making it clear that he did not believe that it was—“then there should be little difficulty. The truth should be enough to set you free.”

  Carth laughed. “Do you really believe that my telling the truth is what would set me free? I’ve lived long enough and experienced enough to know that sometimes the truth is not enough. Sometimes one must take matters into one’s own hands in order to set oneself free.”

  The constable turned his attention back to the sheer drop-off and made his motion to whoever was waiting up above. “You may try, but I suspect that you have come to the same conclusion as others who have found themselves trapped here. There is no escape.”

  When the platform appeared, he climbed onto it and motioned. He disappeared, leaving her watching as he rose away from the cell, leaving her trapped here once more.

  6

  No one came to visit the next day.

  Carth abandoned her fast and risked a few nibbles of the bread. It was stale and crunched between her fingers, but after having nothing to eat for as long as she had, she found her mouth watering. She sipped at the wine, curious whether it would be poisoned, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was not.

  She leaned against the back wall
of the cavern, thinking, trying to determine what it would take to get herself to freedom. If she had access to enhancements, that might be enough to help her survive a jump from this height, but even that might fail her. It wasn’t the height that intimidated her. Rather, it was the jagged rocks and the churn to the water that warned her of the current below. She had attempted to use her magic on the rock once more, but it had failed the same as it had the first time. There was no escape.

  Carth had little doubt that the tribunal would find her guilty. How could they not, after she had been observed striding through the edge of the city, glowing with the power of her magic? Her friends might believe her—and she counted on them to believe her—but it would be difficult for anyone else to believe that she had not destroyed the section of the city. She knew how it looked and knew how strict and regimented the constables in Keyall were. And yet, had she not used her magic, the entire city of Keyall would have burned.

  She had to respect the Collector for forcing her to make that decision. How could he have known how she would react?

  He must have been watching her for a long time. Could he have known about her exploits in Asador? From his comments, it was possible that he did. Could he have known about what she had done prior to coming to Asador? Would he have known what she had faced when she was still in Nyaesh? But then, he must have known. He was familiar with the fact that she had trained with the A’ras.

  Time moved past slowly. She lost track of the hours, focusing on the light coming through the mouth of the cave, knowing that on the day following this, the tribunal would appear. Who sat on the tribunal? How many people would be judging her? She imagined others like the constable and suspected that they would judge her just as harshly. She prepared herself to attack, knowing that she might need to so that she could escape and find her friends. If she did nothing, they would be subject to the same judgment as her, and she worried that the tribunal would be equally harsh with them as they would be with her, possibly out of irritation with her.