by S. M. Boyce
Victoria scanned his weathered face as she tried to process what he had said. “It keeps you alive?”
He nodded. “I’m far older than I seem, Victoria. By any reasonable expectation, I should not have lived this long. That relic, and that alone, has kept me alive, and if I do not get it back I won’t live long enough to see you depose Luak.”
Victoria stared at him in stunned silence as she processed this news. “But…but…”
Fyrn lifted a weak hand, his fingers shaking as they reached for her. She took it, careful to hold him gently and not crush his hand with her enhanced strength.
“I’m so impressed with you,” he said, smiling. “I believe in you. I believe in your strength. In your kindness. In your courage. You are a brave soul, my dear, and you will never fail those you love, not even if you try. You’re a good soul—a strong soul—and it has been an honor to teach you.”
Weakened and at death’s door, his grumpy personality had all but faded. He had things to say, and he didn’t know if he would have another chance to say them.
She swallowed hard. “Those sound like final words.”
His eyes shut. “I hope they aren’t, my girl, but I had to say them just in case.”
In the silence, Victoria held his hand. He slowly relaxed and his breathing evened out, and he once more fell asleep. Tenderly, Victoria returned his hand to his stomach and squared her shoulders.
“I won’t let you down, Fyrn,” she swore. “I won’t let you die.”
***
Diesel led the way as he and Victoria ran down one of the castle’s secret passages toward one of the castle’s many treasure vaults. She had asked Audrey and Styx to stay behind to protect Fyrn and the safehouse, a request that had involved a shouting match and a few glares.
But they had to face the facts: Diesel knew the castle and Audrey didn’t. Audrey could take out a city block with her magic, and the safehouse needed guarding. And Styx… Well, he could distract Audrey from her fuming.
Besides, even Diesel didn’t know what they were looking for, not really. He thought they were merely searching for Fyrn’s staff, since a wizard’s magical instrument was a source of pride, something he didn’t easily part with.
Only Victoria knew better.
“You know,” Diesel said between huffs of breath as they ran, “you don’t need to go on life or death missions to spend time with me.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Seriously,” he continued. “I have twenty-seven better date ideas. Some of them even involve me cooking food for you. Me! Cooking! For you!”
“Focus,” she chided.
“As you desire, my darling,” he said, slowing to take one of the side passages off the secret hallway.
She followed, not sure if it was worth looking in any more of the vaults. There were seventeen in total, according to Diesel, but there was no guarantee he knew of them all.
In the back of her mind, a flicker of inspiration hovered just out of reach. The familiar feeling burned within her, nostalgic and almost painful. She gasped, slowing and holding her head as she struggled to understand it.
As she sat with the feeling, it melted through her like ice on a hot sidewalk. It was an incredible sensation that became a robust sense of knowing, an unspoken understanding of something great.
“Gah,” she muttered to herself, fighting through the odd sensation.
“What is it?” Diesel set a hand on each of her shoulders, but she closed her eyes to focus on it.
Her intuition flared. This was important. She needed to push through this.
The flicker of inspiration neared, as though someone were handing her the answer on a silver platter…if only she could reach it.
Her eyes shot open as clarity crashed through her. “I know where Fyrn’s staff is.”
“What? How could you possibly—”
“Luak’s room. Do you know where that is?”
Victoria was grinning with excitement. The moment of clarity had been so invigorating, so overpowering that she could barely contain herself. It only made sense—defeating someone as powerful as Fyrn was quite an accomplishment, one Luak would brag about for the rest of his life. The staff—the symbol of the wizard’s power that would outlive even him—was a trophy.
One he would keep close to him as a daily reminder of his greatness.
Diesel stuttered. “Luak’s room? Why on Earth—”
“It’s there. I know it is.”
Diesel gaped at her for a moment before gathering himself enough to snap his mouth shut. “Yes, I can take you there.”
The confirmation sent a humming vibration deep into her core, and the bear figurine buzzed with excitement. It was confirmation that this hunch of hers was solid.
The relic would be there.
***
Diesel could not believe he was about to break into the king’s chambers. Sure, he knew how, but knowledge was entirely separate from action.
The things he did for this woman.
Victoria peeked out of the secret passage. “Coast is clear.”
“Victoria, please rethink this. He will know the moment we enter that room.”
“I figured.”
“We can’t stay. If the staff isn’t immediately visible, we may have to leave without it. The charms guarding the door are silent and powerful, and nothing I can do will keep them from going off.”
She looked at him, all serious beauty. “Diesel, we’ll be fine. Remember, the staff was destroyed. We just need to get his crystal thingy.”
At that Diesel couldn’t help but smile. She was human, after all—she didn’t know about the magic of staffs or wizards, not really. “Get crystal thingy. Don’t die. Got it.”
“Har har. Now come on, move!”
Diesel kicked in Luak’s door, and a burst of magic cut through him. It was like a punch to the gut, but Victoria didn’t seem to feel it. Unsurprising, as wizard’s magic was usually undetectable to non-wizards, but it still knocked the wind out of him. He lost several valuable seconds as he caught his breath.
Victoria had already overturned three sofas and a table by the time Diesel joined her. He ripped through the sitting room, using every spell he could think of to magically shred cushions and open drawers, but he kept most of his attention on the hallway and the still-open secret passage as the moments passed.
They didn’t have long.
“Found it!” Victoria shouted from the other room.
“Victoria, not so loud!” Diesel hissed.
She ran around the corner with the familiar crystal in her hands, and lifted it for Diesel to examine. He nodded.
“Definitely it, now let’s go.”
Her gaze shifted to the hallway, and he could almost read her thoughts. She wanted to stay. To fight.
“Another day, Victoria,” he said softly.
She tensed her jaw and nodded, running ahead of him into the passage. He slid in and snapped his fingers, commanding the door to shut with a silent spell. As it soundlessly closed, he let out a breath of relief.
They had managed to be in and out in mere minutes, a truly phenomenal feat.
“Now, let’s get—”
Diesel was interrupted by the thump of feet in the corridor, and peeked through an enchanted spyhole at the army racing down the hallway with Luak in the lead. He stormed into the decimated bedroom, fuming.
“Find whoever did this and drag them by the throat to me!” he screamed.
Diesel turned his gaze on Victoria, who shared the spyhole with him. Her body had gone rigid, and Diesel wondered if she would plow through the wall. After all, this was the elf who had not only threatened her life many times, but who had murdered her parents in front of her. Victoria had a vendetta, a bloodlust she needed to satisfy, and only killing Luak would give her that peace.
Diesel set his hand on her shoulder, and she flinched as her eyes met his. He could guess exactly what she was thinking—I want his head on a platter.
; “You’re not ready,” Diesel said softly.
She frowned, glaring at him with an icy expression that nearly frosted his skin. After a few tense moments, however, she nodded. “I know. Fyrn said Luak has immense power, and I need to get stronger first. I’m not going to take on a monster I’m not ready to slay.”
Diesel let out a long sigh of relief. “Let’s get the old fart his crystal thingy, huh?”
Victoria chuckled, and she took the lead as they jogged back the way they had come. Diesel loved how comfortable she was when she was in charge—even if she was going the wrong way.
Chapter 9
Audrey reclined in one of the kitchen chairs, one eyebrow lifted in disbelief as she stared at Lady Spry. “There are others?”
The regal woman nodded. “Many fled to the tunnels as Luak’s mercenaries took over the city, and they need to be united. They live in isolated pockets of—”
The door to the basement swung open, and Victoria raced through with Diesel hot on her heels. Though she breathed normally Diesel huffed, hands on his knees as he fought to catch his breath.
“Luak is pissed,” Victoria said with a grin, lifting the crystal that had once sat atop Fyrn’s staff.
“I’m going to take a nap,” Diesel said, wheezing. He headed for the living room, only to stop when he scanned the table.
Audrey grinned, watching Lady Spry, Bertha, and Edgar from her peripheral vision. They had all taken seats when the senator had unexpectedly arrived with surprising news.
“What’s going on?” Diesel asked.
“Apparently there are more in hiding, like us,” Audrey said, tilting her head toward the senator.
Lady Spry nodded. “I recently uncovered what I suspect are the secret rebel hideouts of those who couldn’t find a way to leave the city but didn’t want to live under Luak’s rule. They’ve escaped to many of the deepest, most difficult-to-reach caverns beneath the city. They can help you—and I believe you can help them.”
Victoria stood a little taller as the senator looked directly at her.
“How did you find them?” Bertha asked.
The lady’s shoulders drooped. “I uncovered new information about the hunt for Victoria and Audrey. Luak is furious at Fyrn’s rescue, and he intends to go through every house in the city, starting with the deserted ones. He’s coming here, so you absolutely must leave. I needed to find you someplace else to go, and though these are only suspicions, I believe I am correct in assuming there are rebels in these caverns who can hide you.”
“Damn it,” Victoria muttered. She rubbed her temples, still cradling the crystal in one hand.
“We should leave,” Bertha said softly.
Audrey nodded. “The sooner the better.”
“Everyone, pack,” Victoria said. “We won’t have to run for much longer.”
Audrey perked up, leaning her elbows on the table as she leaned toward her friend. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve had a few ideas,” Victoria said with a smirk. “Go get ready. I’ll update you in a minute, once I get this crystal to Fyrn.”
“Reginald and Greggor are still in the tunnels,” Edgar said with a nod toward the basement. “I will wait for them as long as I can and meet up with you.”
“Very good,” Lady Spry said, standing.
Audrey watched Victoria as she headed for Fyrn’s bedroom. She was so confident, so focused. So ready for battle. It made Audrey proud to see Victoria so effortlessly taking command.
With her in charge, they would be fine.
***
Victoria gently shut the door behind her as she tiptoed into Fyrn’s room. He slept in the bed, and she wanted to prolong whatever rest he could get.
“How did it go?” Fyrn asked, eyes still closed.
Victoria chuckled and set the crystal on his lap. “Just fine.”
He sighed with relief, apparently too tired to open his eyes, but his hands found the relic and held it tightly. “Thank you, Victoria. Thank you.”
“Diesel helped.”
Fyrn laughed. “I’m too proud to thank him. He knows.”
Victoria rolled her eyes, but her smile didn’t linger. “We’re moving you, since apparently Luak is getting more violent in his hunt for us.”
“Unsurprising.”
“We’re going to the tunnels. Possibly there are rebels there who can help us.”
“Good, good,” Fyrn said softly.
“I’m going to have to carry you, aren’t I?”
“Hell yes, you are,” he muttered.
Victoria chuckled. “Fine, you big baby.”
Fyrn smiled. “I suppose you’re right. After all, I was merely tortured. No big deal.”
“Totally,” Victoria said with a sarcastic shrug.
The old wizard finally opened his eyes, and he inspected the relic in his hands. “Good, it’s all here. Nothing broke.”
“Would it still work if it had?”
“Yes, but not as well. This relic can never, ever be allowed to break,” he said with a somber glance her way.
“Noted. What artifact are you going to fuse it with, do you know?”
Fyrn sighed. “I have a secret vault in the tunnels where I house my more powerful artifacts. Though I enjoyed and protected my home, I always knew it might be compromised. One of the hazards of being powerful is having many enemies. Though they likely stole everything, Luak found nothing useful there.”
“Good,” Victoria said, crossing her arms.
“I need you to take me to my artifact room, and then we will be done with this once and for all,” Fyrn said, tapping the crystal.
“Of course,” Victoria said. “Anything you need, Fyrn.”
He smiled. “I knew I could count on you.”
“So are we bonding, or are you going to be a grumpy asshole again once you have your staff?”
“Grumpy asshole,” he said, settling into his pillow.
Victoria chuckled. Oh, good. She was worried his brush with death had made him all sappy and nice.
Chapter 10
Victoria could hardly believe her eyes.
She stood at the entrance to a magnificent cave with a marvelous crystal in its ceiling. Though this one was a fraction of the size of Fairhaven’s primary crystal, it glowed more intensely and lit the room with the fire of a star.
Fyrn’s secret cavern—one of many, as Victoria was starting to discover—held incredible treasures. Several chests filled with gold and jewels sat in one corner. Weapons of every kind had been hung on the walls, and a walkway cut through the various piles of staffs, mirrors, and even stacks of furniture.
Victoria had bought a bit of time by asking everyone to wait for her and Fyrn to run a quick errand, but she’d had no idea they were headed someplace as grand as this.
From her shoulder, Styx gaped in awe. He squeaked, then jabbered as though she could understand him.
“What on earth…” Victoria lost her train of thought as she stared into the massive room.
From his place against the wall by the entrance, Fyrn shrugged. “You collect a lot of shit over the centuries. I had to put it somewhere.”
“How rich are you?” Victoria raised one curious eyebrow at her mentor. To have bought all of this, he had to have had the wealth of a king.
“Very. Go,” he said, with a nod to the piles.
“Where do I start?”
“I need another staff, and there are several over on the far wall. Pick a white one, if you please.”
Victoria chuckled and obeyed, selecting a particularly elegant staff from among the ten that lay against the wall. Two were black, three were brown, and the final five were all white and had various runes etched into their bases. All had an opening at the top wide enough for the relic.
But this one—the elegant one—had a graceful tilt that reminded her of the elves. The end of the staff had tiny twirling ribbons of wood that almost looked like a cage, and the runes along its base glowed a vibrant blue even without anythi
ng powering it.
She offered the staff to her mentor, who nodded in approval. “Good choice, now stand back.”
He lifted the relic in one hand and the staff in the other and began to mutter to himself in a language Victoria didn’t recognize. Both objects began to glow brilliantly blue and Victoria squinted, the light too much to bear. Just then a blast of light cut through the entire room.
As it faded, Victoria slowly opened her eyes to find her mentor standing in front of her. He leaned on his staff as his body absorbed the light. His wrinkles faded, and the dark circles beneath his eyes brightened. The bruises from the torture had healed entirely, and he sucked in a deep breath as he stood upright.
“You’re back!” Victoria said, a swell of joy overtaking her.
Fyrn nodded. “And I have you to thank, Victoria, but we will never speak of this again to anyone. No one can know what this relic is.”
Victoria’s smile faded, but she nodded. “I understand.”
“Now, shall we go meet those rebels?” Fyrn asked, gesturing to the exit.
“Yes, let’s,” Victoria said with a grin.
***
At first Victoria thought they had gotten lost.
“There’s nothing here,” Audrey said, echoing Victoria’s thoughts.
“There is,” Lady Spry said with confidence, never once slowing in her steady march through the tunnels.
The tunnel was as dark as night, with only the glowing tips of the wizards’ staffs to light the way. As they followed the noblewoman she withdrew a wand and flicked it, igniting the tip with a brilliant white glow that lit into the endless tunnel. Styx’s wings beat the air nearby, but in the sparse light she couldn’t even see him.
Everyone from the safehouse was behind Lady Spry, and Victoria couldn’t help but be nervous. They were following someone they didn’t know well—and who Victoria still didn’t fully trust—into the recesses of the dangerous Fairhaven tunnels.
She almost stopped them right there. She almost called this off, convinced she could find another safehouse, but she remembered the pact she and Lady Spry had made.
To betray them meant death for the noblewoman, and Victoria doubted Lady Spry cared enough for Luak to sacrifice herself.
