Empire of Chains (World in Chains Book 1)

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "I don't know about all right," she said. "My family's all dead."

  "So are a lot of people," Tylen said. "You're not alone in your suffering."

  She glared at him. "That's a horribly insensitive thing to say."

  "Well, it's the truth. What did you expect?"

  "Well, some tact would have been nice."

  "I take it you two know each other," Markus said. He took a powerful, angry stance, as if he were about to fight Tylen right there. Nadia appreciated the gesture, but it was not the right time.

  "Tylen is the man my father chose to be my suitor," she said. "Of course, I guess that doesn't matter anymore. Not with my father dead and Crayden destroyed." The weight of those words hit her, but she refused to cry in front of Tylen. She looked away from him, hiding those tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes.

  "I will still marry you," Tylen said. "Whether you like it or not, your father chose me."

  Nadia rounded on him, ready to slap him, but Berig stepped between them and said, "We should probably get outta here. You know, with the smoke and all."

  "Yeah, there still might be Imperial Guards around," Markus said.

  Nadia restrained her temper. "I didn't think of that. You're right. We should get going. We can argue about these things later, when we're safe."

  They descended to the foyer, where many fires burned, their smoke obscuring the room. Nadia turned toward the library. When she entered, her heart sank. More fires burned in the library than anywhere else. The windows up high had all broken with the force of the magical flames.

  "It's so terrible," she said.

  Markus put a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay."

  "You don't understand. These books were priceless."

  "Get your hand off my fiancé." Tylen pulled Markus away from Nadia, then pushed Markus against the wall, but Markus pushed back, knocking Tylen on his butt. As Tylen got up, he said, "How dare you do that to me! I'm a noble. You're nothing."

  "You pushed me first." Markus didn't shrink beneath Tylen's gaze. "You weren't comforting her, so I figured someone had to do it. Not that it's your job or anything."

  "Don't tell me how I'm supposed to act toward my fiancé."

  Berig stepped between them. "Guys, no need to argue. Let's just get outta here."

  Nadia agreed. She could barely breathe with all the smoke.

  She could sense the tension between Markus and Tylen as they walked to the gate, where she and Markus cranked the gate open. Tylen refused to do such menial labor. Berig stood off to the side, looking on as though he had no idea what he should be doing.

  Once they opened the gate, they stepped outside, into sheer devastation. The city had become a towering inferno. Smoke rose in giant black clouds. The city's wooden buildings still burned. All around the castle grounds, grass and plants were on fire, but the fires had scattered enough that they could find a path between them.

  Was Warrick truly this powerful?

  She'd respected his power for years, but this was different from anything she'd ever expected to see. The others looked on with wide eyes.

  Markus's voice was thick with emotion. "This is horrible. How could they?"

  "When I was a kid," Berig said, "they did my village like this. Me and my brother were the only ones who made it out. Wasn't this bad, though."

  Tylen remained silent, a faraway look in his eyes.

  "Tylen, this is the emperor you supported," Nadia said. "This is what he does."

  "I-I don't know what to say. This is horrible. You might not like me. You might think I'm a terrible person. But I know evil when I see it."

  "I'm glad to know you're not completely lost," Nadia said.

  Tylen stared ahead pensively. "You know, they warned me. I never expected them to do something like this, but they told me they were planning something."

  "The Order also knew," Nadia said. "But we weren't expecting this."

  Markus squinted against the flames burning in the city. "Is there any point even looking for survivors? If anyone made it out, they'll have used the teleportation system."

  "I don't think we can check," Nadia said. "Not yet at least. Our lungs have probably taken in too much smoke already. We should get as far as we can from the city."

  "Where're we going?" Berig asked.

  "My uncle's cabin." Markus peered toward the forest. "It's small, but it's a place to stay, a place to recover." He shook his head. "Maybe this is all a horrible dream."

  "No, I think we're awake," Berig said.

  Markus looked down at the ground. "That's not what I wanted to hear."

  They started toward the forest, skirting the edge of the city and looking toward the flames as though a survivor might come stumbling out of the debris. All around, eerie silence had fallen, save for the low crackling of fires.

  Halfway to the bridge on Crayden's east side, Berig said, "So what're you all gonna do now? Don't know about you, but this silence is really bothering me."

  Nadia tried not to think of what had happened. "This doesn't change anything I intended to do. It just made things happen a little more quickly."

  "You're still planning on killing Warrick?" Markus said. "Do you think that's really possible after what we've seen today?"

  "That's exactly why I have to kill him. I can't turn away after seeing this. It's no longer just my personal quest. It's for everyone." She felt another rush of tears and looked away from the others.

  "Well, that's not going to happen," Tylen said. "You are going to be my wife, and I will not let my wife get herself killed on a foolish quest."

  She rounded on him. "And what makes you believe we are still going to marry? My father is dead. Crayden is destroyed. No one and nothing can force me to marry you, Tylen. You are a disgusting human being. I will never love you, Tylen. Never."

  Tylen fixed her with an icy glare. "You and I are still tied to our titles. Like it or not, you have responsibilities. You must honor the arrangements your father made."

  "You're welcome to continue being a noble somewhere else, but I will not come with you. Do you really think I intended to stay in Crayden with you for the rest of my life? I was going to escape at the very first chance. You can't hold me, Tylen. Not anymore."

  Tylen's eyes became narrow slits. "But it's the law! You must obey it!"

  He grabbed her roughly around the shoulders. When she tried to pull free, he tightened his grip, and the others looked on warily.

  "Get your hands off me," she said.

  Tylen didn't move his hands. "You are mine, Nadia."

  "I belong to no one, least of all you." She kicked him hard in the shin, and he flinched back, hopping on his injured leg.

  He advanced on her again. "How dare you hurt me!"

  Nadia slammed her fist against his nose, and he fell backward, putting his hands up to his bleeding nose. She shook her painful right hand.

  He wavered as he got to his feet and glared at her with a look that suggested revenge, but then he turned away. Nadia watched him with a churning stomach, remembering his behavior back in the forest.

  Berig stepped over to them. "You sure you really wanna marry her? I don't know about you, but it seems to me like she don't like you too much."

  "Stay out of this, commoner."

  Markus stepped into the fray. "He's right. I can't imagine why she'd ever want to marry you. You're the biggest jerk I've ever seen. She doesn't like you. Get over it."

  "I will make her like me," Tylen said, and Nadia feared what he might do. She moved about a dozen paces away from Tylen, keeping an eye on him.

  All fell silent as they walked the rest of the way to the bridge, which remained intact to her surprise and relief. It must have stood beyond where the fire had started.

  Soon they crossed the canyon and reached the edge of the forest, where the air felt cooler, though it remained humid.

  Nadia strode to a section of rock where she could look down upon the city. It was horrible to see. Smoke sti
ll rose in black towers. A few small fires continued to burn. Markus stood beside her while Berig and Tylen remained on the path.

  "It's so horrible," Nadia said, wiping away a tear.

  Markus put a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what to say."

  "Warrick needs to die. That's all that needs to be said."

  "I can't argue with that," Markus said.

  A rumble of thunder sounded, but Nadia couldn't see the dark clouds through the smoke. Would they have enough time to reach Markus's cabin? She and Markus returned to the others.

  As they walked through the forest, Tylen said, "I hope you enjoy throwing away what you father did for you."

  "What do you mean?" she asked.

  "I was there when the Imperial Guards killed him. They asked him repeatedly where you were. They cut off his hands. They tortured him with that fire of theirs. And he never gave in. He never gave them a better chance of finding you. A great sacrifice, but you don't deserve it."

  She wanted to say something, but her emotions overwhelmed her again, and she leaned against a nearby tree. The thought of her father dying so horrifically was too much to bear.

  "Why did you have to tell me this?" she said through tears.

  "I thought you should know. Maybe it would help you change your mind."

  She wiped her eyes. "I'm not changing my mind. I am very grateful for what my father did, though I imagine it made little difference in the end. He stood up against their torture to give me a chance at something more, not another chance to marry you."

  "Think what you want, Nadia. You can spend all your energy opposing Warrick, but it will only get you killed."

  "I know that! I'm prepared to die."

  Tylen started walking away. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

  "Let's just get to my uncle's cabin," Markus said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She nodded as thunder rumbled more loudly and the smell of rain filled the air.

  She looked up at the sky. "How much farther?"

  "I'm not sure we'll make it in time," Markus said.

  The storm overtook them a few minutes later. Constant thunder accompanied blinding rain and fierce winds. They stumbled through the downpour, finding a clearing where they took shelter as best they could.

  "This is a terrible storm," Berig shouted over the roaring wind.

  Markus's voice was barely audible. "They've been getting worse lately."

  Nadia thought on that. This last spring, a small settlement north of Crayden had been destroyed by a tornado. Throughout the spring and summer, many people had seen the rare storms. It had never been like this before, but she hadn't given it much thought.

  The wind continued in a deafening roar. She shivered in her soaked clothing as she huddled against the muddy ground. Trees groaned ominously, and a nearby branch broke with a loud snap.

  Lightning struck with an earsplitting crack, and she jumped. This storm seemed one of the most powerful ones they'd had recently. Hail began pelting them—pea-sized at first, but growing larger with time.

  The storm stopped abruptly. Shivering, she looked up at the sky. The clouds above swirled in ways she'd never seen before.

  "We need to keep down," she said. "I think a tornado's trying to form over us."

  She couldn't help but look up. The clouds continued swirling, the pattern growing tighter and tighter. About a minute after the section passed them by, a thin funnel descended from the clouds and stretched toward the ground, but she couldn't see it through all the trees.

  Markus got to his feet. "Well, that was scary."

  "I never want to see one of those again," Tylen said.

  Berig brushed water out of his beard. "What the hell was that thing?"

  "Have you never heard of the Plain of Storms?" Nadia asked.

  "No, I'm from Bradenton. I know about the Forest of Darkness, but that's it." Berig recounted his life story as they walked toward the cabin. The ground was a swampy mess, and though the rain had washed off the smoke stains, they were now covered in mud. Tylen grumbled about the filth on his red suit.

  "I wonder why that tornado happened just now," Markus said. "I mean, what are the chances that would happen right after the whole city is burned down?"

  Nadia hadn't considered that. "I don't know. It's probably just coincidence. The human mind often seeks patterns where there are no patterns to begin with. We've had the kind of weather recently that fuels severe storms, and when you combine that with the more frequent occurrences of tornadoes throughout the year, it's probably just a coincidence."

  Markus shrugged. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. I don't know much about storms. I mean, I know the signs that a storm is coming, but when you get into all that magical Plain of Storms nonsense, I try not to think about it. Too confusing."

  "I wish I could do that," Nadia said. "Not think about things."

  She couldn't help remembering everything that had happened in Crayden. Though the city lay a few miles behind them, the fires burned bright in her mind. Would they ever fade?

  She had to think about the future. Yes, her father and Avia had died, but that was only more reason to kill Warrick. It almost seemed as if Warrick had taken a special interest in her. She tried to cast aside the notion as foolish, but could she be sure?

  Early that evening, when they stepped into the small clearing around the cabin, Nadia spotted a large group of people. She felt confused at first.

  "I think I know who got everyone out of Crayden," Markus said. "My uncle."

  As they stepped closer, a couple of people came charging out of the crowd. Rik pulled Markus into a forceful hug, and Kara rushed to Nadia's side.

  "How'd you make it out of there?" Rik asked.

  "I think we'd all like to know that," Kara said. Her eyes settled on Tylen, and she frowned.

  Nadia took a breath, then told their story. Her voice faltered when she spoke about Avia and her father.

  "I'm sorry, Nadia," Kara said, putting a hand on Nadia's shoulder.

  Nadia felt the beginning of tears. "I'll be okay. In time."

  But would she ever be okay again?

  * * * * *

  Darien lay on his soft bed, eyes closed, trying not to think of what he'd done. In the moment, he had conjured that ring of fire, pushing aside his doubts, but now he could imagine all the people who'd died in that fire.

  All the people he'd killed.

  Was it worth it? Was he the only person who could fix the world? Perhaps those dark threads were hiding another possibility from him.

  At least Nadia, Markus, Berig, and Tylen had survived. As much as Darien planned the future, their fates had been in doubt. He'd have to get used to that, though. There was only so much he could control. He'd have to rely on them to survive on their own.

  Tylen bothered him the most. As powerful as Darien was, he could not read the thoughts of people like Tylen, people with magical capabilities. Darien had expected Tylen to heed Commander Glenn's warning, but Tylen had been too stubborn.

  And that had disturbed Darien's plans.

  More dark strands had appeared in Tylen's future. Before the inferno, Darien had expected Tylen to serve him, but now that future was in doubt. It would be difficult for Tylen to overcome the effects of the inferno, and Darien couldn't blame him. Darien himself wouldn't want to serve a man who could do that to his people.

  He had left Crayden moments after conjuring that fire, knowing he couldn't handle what he'd done if he saw the destruction, if he heard the screams and cries. As long as he kept his distance from his atrocities, he could almost pretend he wasn't to blame.

  Almost.

  Through it all, he had to remind himself that the price of inaction was much, much higher. Some people could stick to lofty morals. Others, like Darien, did what needed to be done. The people of Crayden had died to secure the future of millions.

  Chapter 28

  Markus pulled out of Rik's hug. To see his closest friend alive was the greatest relief he could imagine. A
few feet away, Nadia was deep in conversation with Kara. Ander and Aric approached that pair, exchanging friendly words and hugs.

  A subdued atmosphere hung over the clearing. Everyone here had lost someone in that blaze.

  Markus scanned the crowd. "Did Tomas make it out?"

  "Sorry, he didn't," Rik said. "A lot of people didn't make it."

  At the moment, Markus felt numb. "How many did? This looks like a lot, but it's not even close to a whole city."

  "Forty or so."

  Markus felt sick. "At least some people survived. Thanks to my uncle, I guess."

  Rik put a hand on Markus's shoulder. "He tried his best. It just wasn't good enough."

  Markus had never heard such sadness in Rik's voice.

  "Your uncle will be glad to see you made it," Rik said. "He's inside."

  Markus felt as if his legs couldn't function properly. He wanted to lie down somewhere and forget these fiery images burned forever in his mind. He stepped into the cabin, where Uncle Theo sat across the room, staring off into space.

  Markus cleared his throat. "Uncle Theo?"

  His uncle turned, mouth hanging open. "Markus? You're alive?"

  Markus took a few steps toward his uncle, who remained seated. With everything that had happened between them, what should have been a happy reunion felt awkward. Markus couldn't even force a smile.

  His throat stuck. "Just barely."

  "I think I'd like to hear this story."

  His uncle remained quiet as he spoke, but did look on with a frown, as though fighting an internal war. Behind Markus, Rik was silent.

  "You were very lucky," Uncle Theo said. "And very foolish."

  "I had to go there," Markus said. "Nadia got me out of prison, and Berig had already gone that way. I couldn't leave them."

  "Well, I'm glad you made it, and I think I have an apology to make. All these years, I tried to force you into a life that went against everything you believed. I don't know where you got your ideas, but there was no way you'd ever become an Imperial Guard. After today, I can't blame you. I never really could."

  In the tense silence that followed, Markus could see the struggle in his uncle's eyes.