by James Wisher
“I’m not so certain. I’ve read many messages from that particular bird and the handwriting on this note was totally different. Whoever has the urn, it isn’t my spy.”
Mikhail straightened up. “You suspect a trap?”
“Doubtful. Only the spy could have sent that bird. Morana linked it to his soul force. More likely he’s injured and had someone else write it for him. An ally of some sort.”
Connor gestured the bird back from its perch on one of his shelves. It landed on his finger and he willed it to return to the spy. The bird just sat there staring at him with its black crystal eyes.
“My spy is dead.” Connor returned the bird to its spot on the shelf. Until it was linked to a new person the little messenger was useless. “I believe I’ll go see who ended up with my property.”
“Let me go, Master. It might be dangerous.”
Connor laughed. He was by far the stronger of the two and he was curious about whoever wrote the message. If Mikhail went he’d kill whoever it was without learning anything. It wouldn’t do to cut down a potential ally. He’d just lost one spy, maybe he could pick up a new one.
“I’ll be fine. Stay here and protect the library. This shouldn’t take long.”
Mikhail bowed his head. “As you command.”
Connor flew south, swinging wide around the capital. It took him miles out of his way, but he didn’t want to risk any Crimson Legionnaires or worse, the archmage herself, sensing his passing. While he certainly didn’t fear the sorcerers in the capital, he also didn’t want to risk an unnecessary confrontation at this stage.
He landed in a clearing deep in the woods. A crude shed, its roof sunken in and its boards rotting, sat near the edge. This had to be the place described in the note. “Hello?”
A weathered old man with a satchel slung over his shoulder emerged from the shack. He took one look at Connor and flinched. “You must be the master the idiot mentioned.”
Connor raised an eyebrow at the old man’s insolence, but decided against killing him on the spot. “Indeed. I’m Connor Blackman. And you are?”
“Koran Dane. Your man led a sorcerer to my home then leveled it with this…whatever it is. I been watching the capital for better than thirty years for the cult and that bloody idiot ruined everything in a day. What am I supposed to do?”
Connor understood now. This man was a member of the original cult. Most of them were nihilists who hated everything, psychopaths that wanted to watch everything die. Connor smiled. It was so rare to meet one of the old guard.
“For someone that has served the cult so well for so long I’m certain we can find a task for you. You know Morana?”
He nodded. “The redhead. She’s been collecting my reports for the past two years. She’s a sight easier on the eyes than the last poxy son of a whore I reported to.”
“Splendid. She’s working with some other members in Valcane. I’m certain you’d be a great asset for her. Now, the urn.”
He shrugged off the satchel and handed it to Connor. “I forgot about it for a minute. Glad to be rid of the awful thing. You going to fly me to the coast?”
Connor laughed again. “Hardly. I’ll send Morana a message and she’ll come collect you in a day or two. Just wait here and stay out of sight.” He undid the ties on the satchel and looked inside. The inky black cylinder glinted in the late afternoon light.
Connor leapt into the air and powered back north with his prize. Now, once Eleck completed his task, Connor could begin the final phase of his plan.
Chapter 32
Eleck paced in the small chamber that served as his quarters. Dirt trickled from the walls as roots came and went, slithering along like serpents. The wise one still lived. If it were otherwise the roots would be still.
Damn the strangers! If they had simply died in the initial attack as they were supposed to Eleck could have announced the murder of the wise one at their hands and assumed command of the Green Path. If he made the announcement now everyone would know he was lying. The very existence of the still-squirming roots would denounce him.
He clenched his fists, trying to ignore the pain in his hands. He used the black rings Master Connor had given him as little as possible, but even a single blast left his hands aching for days. He raised his sore hands and studied the black veins running along the palms and between his knuckles. The long gloves he favored hid them well enough along with blocking anyone from sensing their corruption. They were potent tools, but like anything, not without cost.
Eleck concentrated on the silver ring studded with black gems. He felt nothing, no stirring, no hint that any of his soul force eaters survived their encounter with the outsiders. The red ring still pulsed with life. Four of the fire breathers still lived, though Eleck doubted their ability to slow his enemies. The demon-tainted beasts lurking in the newly corrupted portions of the Great Green might give them pause, but Eleck held out little hope of ultimate victory there. The only real chance he had was the powerful guardians securing the cave. As long as he kept the outsiders from interfering with the circle nothing else mattered.
“Master?” Delia said from beyond the curtain that separated his room from the tunnel.
“Yes?”
“The people are gathered as you requested. They’re waiting and eager to hear you speak.”
“I’ll be along in a moment.” As soon as I figure out just what I’m going to say.
“Yes, Master.”
Eleck sighed. His acolytes were obedient, but lacking in motivation. He shouldn’t complain. It was that very lack that made them so easy to persuade to his cause. Whispered vague promises combined with a show of force from his monsters convinced them that remaining loyal to the current wise one would be bad for their health.
Fear did wonders to keep them obedient. Eleck should know, he was terrified of Connor and his black knight, and would do anything they said if it meant avoiding a face-to-face meeting. He didn’t know how much longer he could postpone that meeting. To assure his success Eleck feared he’d need reinforcements. Better to ask for more help than to fail, that was certain.
Eleck pulled on his gloves and straightened his green robes. He couldn’t claim the wise one was dead, but he could still blame the outsiders for kidnapping him. The would give him temporary control of the group and turn them away from helping his enemies. He’d have to find some way to make the wise one’s disappearance permanent before anyone found him.
He brushed the curtain aside and stepped out into the tunnel. Delia flinched away from him before remembering he was supposed to be a beloved leader not a figure of terror. That was the sort of slip that could give people the wrong idea if she made it around those outside their little circle. Chastising her would only make her more jumpy. Eleck put a gentle hand on her back.
“Stay calm, Delia. This matter will be resolved soon. Always remember, outside the cave there’s no reason to fear me.”
“Yes, Master Eleck.” The mousy blond couldn’t even look him in the eye when she spoke.
He needed to order one of the others to take her place. She was the weakest member of the circle, but if she couldn’t even manage the simple tasks he set her, she’d be less of a liability tending the ritual.
Eleck strode through the familiar tunnels with their boring dirt walls and floor, dangling roots brushing his hair. When he assumed full control he’d have the damned things trimmed back and maybe put some stones on the floor. What sort of leader had to walk in the dirt?
He sighed. One who was connected with the earth force at all times, as a proper Wise One should be. Eleck could still see and manipulate the power, but he’d long since lost the easy connection he used to have with the Green Path. He sometimes missed the gentle energy flowing through his feet and up into his body.
Eleck held up his hands. That weak energy was nothing compared to the strength he’d gained from the black rings. His rings gave him real power, real control. As long as he had them Eleck was master of his fate.
At least as long as he obeyed Connor.
Out in the clearing all the people of the Green Path had gathered around the entrance to the temple. Everyone wore nervous expressions, the gazes darting from one friend to another in hope of some reassurance.
Perfect.
Eleck would give them false reassurances and they would be all the more eager to believe him.
Chapter 33
The wise one’s grumbling woke Damien from a light doze. The old druid was grinding his teeth and muttering obscenities. Who’d have thought the leader of the druids could swear like a sailor? Jen still slept on the couch he conjured for her and Leah floated in the pond, every bit as out of it as his sister.
“What’s wrong?” Damien asked.
“Eleck. He’s giving a speech, warning my people about you. He says you kidnapped me and that they need to be vigilant lest more outsiders sneak in and harm them. Lying fraud! If only I had the strength to get up there.”
“He’s certainly clever. Give the people an external enemy to focus on and they’re less likely to notice the corruption within. That’s a tactic that’s worked many times, at least according to the history books. So what’s the plan once everybody’s finished with their naps?”
“You’ll have to confront Eleck at his hidden cave. Leah can show you the way. I can’t leave the temple, but I can keep an eye on things here. I know you can’t do what needs to be done without violence, I only ask that you refrain from harming any of the innocent people Eleck has deceived.”
“I don’t know what you think you know about people from outside your little group, but we’re not in the habit of slaughtering innocents. We’ll do what’s necessary to protect the kingdom and no more. Once the threat is eliminated cleaning up the mess your protégé made is your job.”
“I’m sorry,” the wise one said. “I didn’t mean to imply you and your sister were particularly violent, I simply worry for what my people might do under Eleck’s influence. If they attack you I know you’ll have to defend yourself.”
Damien grunted, not especially mollified. A splash from the pond ended the conversation before it became an argument. Leah pulled her feet under her and walked through the shallow water back to shore. If she felt at all awkward standing completely naked in front of two men she gave no sign of it. She used her cloak to dry off and then dressed.
When she finished she stretched and joined Damien beside the wise one. “What happened?”
The wise one gave her a quick summary. When he finished Leah was gaping like a fish on the deck. “Eleck betrayed us? I can’t believe it.”
“Believe it,” Damien said. “He has two black rings and the corruption has already begun blackening his hands. Depending on how much he uses them he has at most a year or so to live.”
“What if he stopped using them and threw the rings away, could he be saved?” Leah looked at him with sad, pleading eyes.
“I don’t know. Healing isn’t my area of expertise and frankly I saw no sign that he’s in any way interested in tossing them aside. In my experience once people get a taste of power it’s very hard to convince them to give it up. I suspect Connor gave him the rings as a test. If he completes whatever task the warlock set for him a more permanent form of power will likely be his reward.”
Leah turned her sad gaze on the wise one. “How could he do this? He would have eventually taken your place. Was that not power enough for him?”
“I don’t know, my dear.”
“Maybe he got sick of waiting and decided to move things along on his own. It doesn’t matter now anyway. He made his choice and now we need to deal with him. How do we get out of here once Jen wakes up?”
“I can open a path for you out the rear of the grotto. We’re well away from the village so no one should see you leave. Once you’re out I’ll seal it up behind you.”
Damien nodded. “How far to this cave once we’re out of here?”
Leah tapped her chin for a second. “Perhaps a day. I was just wandering when I found it.”
“Follow the disturbances in the Green Path,” the wise one said. “After that massive shift the power streams will be roiled and they’ll grow worse the closer you come to the source of the shift.”
Leah slapped her forehead. “I never even considered that route. I can lead the way straight to it.”
Damien grinned. “Guess that’s why he’s the wise one.”
Leah returned the smile. “Yes it is.”
Half an hour later Jen sat up and scrubbed her hand across her face. “Where are we?”
“Safe for the moment,” Damien said. “How are you?”
Jen waved off his concern. “Fine. I just needed to rest. Is that water safe to drink?”
Damien checked it and found nothing toxic. “There’s nothing poisonous in it as long as you don’t mind the fact that Leah’s been floating in it for the last five hours.”
Leah slapped his shoulder. “What are you implying?”
“That none of us has had a bath since we left the castle.”
Jen shrugged, cupped her hands and bent down to drink. There’d have to be something pretty nasty in there to bother a warlord anyway. When she’d drunk her fill Jen stood up and stretched. “So what’s the plan?”
Chapter 34
The wise one’s tunnel opened into a small gap in the middle of a patch of thick brush. Damien followed Leah out, with Jen bringing up the rear. After what seemed like a long time underground, the fresh breeze and smell of evergreens made a welcome change. Judging from the shadows it was around midmorning. Damien’s stomach grumbled. Some breakfast would have been nice, but all their supplies were back in the temple and he wasn’t anxious to go and get them. Damien conjured a bird and added a transformation so it would shift into the letters “ok” when it reached the archmage’s office. It wasn’t an ideal solution, but at least she’d know they were still alive and working on the problem.
The moment Jen’s foot cleared the tunnel it collapsed in on itself. No one could reach the wise one now, not without a lot of digging. Leah stared at the ground and spun in a circle. When she finished the slow-motion pirouette Damien raised an eyebrow. “Which way?”
“East.” Leah walked toward the thick brush and it parted for her.
Damien expanded his shield, conjured another around Jen to protect her clothes, and followed Leah into the brush. They hadn’t gone more than thirty feet when the thick scrub gave way to huge old trees that towered over them, blocking most of the light. Shadows danced in the corner of his vision as the wind made the branches sway. This would be a perfect place for an ambush. Lucky no one knew where they were.
Leah trudged on, her gaze fixed on the ground like a hunting dog. Damien wished he could see what she saw, even just for a moment. He hated being completely dependent on someone else. The woods were open enough that Jen could walk beside him.
“When you charged me with your sword drawn I thought you’d lost your mind.”
Damien glanced at her and smiled. “Didn’t you hear the soul force eater coming up behind you?”
“I was so drained it was a wonder I could put one foot in front of the other. You killed it without using sorcery?”
“You sound surprised. I kept up with my training even while I studied sorcery. I might not be a warlord, but I can still fight.”
“I know, but it would have been interesting to see the look on Dad’s face if you came home twenty pounds overweight and barely able to swing your sword.”
“Interesting for you maybe. I doubt I would have survived.” Damien stopped. A faint hint of corruption swirled through the air. Weak and still distant, whatever he sensed lay dead ahead of them. “Leah.”
Jen stopped, but Leah kept going like he hadn’t spoken.
“Leah!”
She stumbled and turned to face him. “What?”
“Can’t you feel it? Maybe half a mile ahead of us. Something nasty is waiting.”
She turned back and a few seconds later
stiffened. “It’s so…wrong. I’ve wandered this forest my whole life and I’ve never felt anything like this. What is it?”
“Demonic corruption. We’ve seen it before,” Damien said.
“Is there another demon?” Jen asked.
He couldn’t decide if she was nervous, eager for another shot at one, or a little of both. “It’s too diffused. When we fought the goblins the power was all in one place, this is different. Is there another way to our destination?”
Leah turned back toward them, her forehead creased. “I’m sure there is, but the line I’m following leads straight through it. We might be able to find a way around, but I couldn’t guess how long that might take.”
Damien grunted and looked at his sister. “What do you think?”
“The longer this takes the better the chance of something else happening to the capital. I say we plow through and deal with whatever gets in our way.”
Damien nodded, not especially surprised. It might be tricky. Jen could take care of herself, but Leah was just a normal woman, leaving aside her ability to see earth force. He’d have to keep a shield around her at all times. Somehow he doubted the plants up ahead would be inclined to do as they were told.
The changes started ten minutes later. The trees turned scabrous and their bark started to peel. The ground cover thinned then vanished, leaving only dead ash behind. Birds fell silent—or more likely they’d abandoned this part of the forest. Over it all lay the perfume of rot.
Ahead of them Leah trembled as she walked. She was probably more sensitive to the changes than he and Jen. She kept her gaze down and her step firm. If anything stopped them it wouldn’t be her lack of determination.
A high-pitched shriek came from above them an instant before a gray blur struck Leah. She staggered and tore at whatever had hit her.
Damien and Jen rushed to help. They reached her side just as she threw it away from her. The ball of fur scrambled to its feet and spun to face them. Red eyes glowed above the fang-filled mouth of the meanest looking squirrel Damien had ever seen. Its fluffy tail had been replaced by a clump of quills that would have made a porcupine jealous.
