by S. M. Boyce
As he always did, the short creature sat in his enormous chair, his seat raised so high that Victoria could see the leather cushion. Drefus was dressed in a suit, and his ears poked out on either side of the throne.
And, as always, he sneered. “What a pleasure to see you again, Victoria.”
She suppressed a sarcastic huff as Fyrn closed the door behind them. He had volunteered to join her in this endeavor, although he assumed it would fail.
To be honest, so did she. But she had to try.
“What can I do for you?” Drefus asked.
Victoria had toyed with her request the whole way here, but there simply wasn’t a smooth way to word it. “We’re going to kill Luak, and we want your soldiers.”
The gremlin laughed and banged his tiny fist against the desk, apparently relishing the ridiculous request. He nodded to Fyrn. “She’s straight to the point, isn’t she?”
“I’m serious,” Victoria snapped.
“I know you are,” the gremlin said, sobering. “That’s what makes it so damn funny.”
She tried to hide her nerves with a defiant tilt of her chin. Time to bluff him into compliance. “Luak is stifling trade. There are fewer drug addicts in your den, Drefus, because there are fewer people in Fairhaven. The citizens are scared. They’re leaving, or going underground. Your clientele is running away from you, and with them goes all your money. You’re going to go broke, and it’s Luak’s fault. He’ll squeeze every last penny from you and then leave you to rot.”
“Will he, now?” The gremlin pressed his fingers together, grinning with a little too much glee. His eyes narrowed, and Victoria had a gut feeling that Drefus had had the privilege of speaking to Luak personally.
Damn it, he’d called her bluff.
The gremlin leaned on his elbows. “Victoria, the only reason I haven’t called Luak to tell him you’re here is because you still owe me a favor, and the potential gain from that favor outweighs the benefits of turning you in. If Fyrn had come alone, he wouldn’t have even made it to this room before he was captured.”
Fyrn grunted in annoyance. Victoria, however, scowled with all the fury and hatred she could fit into one expression.
No one touched her friends.
“It’s just business,” the gremlin said with a shrug.
Victoria grimaced. “So that’s it? You’ll let him destroy Fairhaven?”
“Young lady, I benefit regardless of what happens to Fairhaven. This war is not my concern. Even if you win, you can’t touch me.” He opened a drawer and produced the coin that represented her favor to him.
She frowned. “Sorry I wasted your time.”
The gremlin shrugged. “Don’t let it happen again.”
“I was talking to Fyrn,” she said with a smirk.
As the sneer melted off Drefus’ face, Victoria spun on her heel and stalked into the drug den, fuming.
Favor or no, she would take that little rat down—criminal empire and all.
***
Regina Spry knocked gently on the secret door that hid the castle’s defense system.
After several seconds it slid open to reveal two elves, since ogres wouldn’t have fit in this tiny space. They stared at her quizzically.
“What do you want, woman?” one of them asked crassly.
She suppressed an annoyed huff at the curt tone. “Hold this for me, won’t you?”
She lifted one hand and laid it flat to reveal the powder in her palm. She quickly blew it into their faces and, within moments both stared blankly ahead.
The forgetfulness puff—it worked every time. She would have twenty minutes before the guards woke up, and another ten before they could remember anything.
Time to get to work.
She stepped into the small room, pushing the mercenaries against the walls as she climbed into the lone chair. They complied as though they were mannequins, just staring blankly ahead as she nudged them out of the way.
As she withdrew her wand from her sleeve, she muttered several ancient incantations. The tip of her wand glowed brilliantly green, and sparks of magic burst off the end. A shimmering portal appeared before her, rippling like a pond of molten gold, and the barest outline of a face hovered just out of reach in the puddle.
Dipping into the oldest spells she knew, she repeated her incantations until she could feel the distant tension of the drains Luak had placed on the castle. It was like pulling on taut ropes, and beads of sweat broke out along her hairline as she fought the powerful magic depleting her beloved palace.
One by one, the magical tendrils lifted, and with each release the face in the pool became clearer. She struggled, the minutes ticking away as she fought to free the castle, until the last thread finally slipped away.
The castle would be weak as it slowly regained its power, but with time it would be even stronger than before.
Hate had that effect, after all.
A smooth face appeared in the pool, untouched by time or features. No lips, no eyes, no hair. It was more of a mask than a face, really, but it represented the castle all the same.
“My lovely Lady Spry, you have outdone yourself!” the castle boomed, its deep voice echoing in the tiny chamber.
She smiled and held a delicate finger to her lips. “We must be silent, Castle. They need to think you’re still trapped.”
“The indignity! Why would you ask such a thing? I can finally sense that wretched elf. I’ll summon my saws—”
“No, Castle. You need time to recover. He has leeched much power from you, and he will win if you face him again so soon.”
The castle huffed. “When do you propose we attack, then? I have no king to give me orders anymore.”
Regina sighed. “Bornt is dead.”
The mask in the golden pool nodded. “Indeed. I no longer feel his presence anywhere.”
Regina sniffled, heart sinking at the loss of her friend. “Aren’t you sad? You knew him his entire life, ever since he was a boy.”
“My Lady, I am a castle. I feel only victory and rage.”
Through her loss, she couldn’t help but chuckle. With a glance over her shoulder, she wiped away a tear and tried to focus. “Your new queen will be here soon. We need to make it possible for her to take her rightful place.”
“And who is this woman? What makes you think she is worthy?”
Regina smiled warmly. “You’ll see, Castle. She’s perfect.”
“I will at least meet her, Lady Spry, but only since you seem fond of her. May I remind you that I choose my monarch, not the other way around.”
“Of course. I’ll call for you soon, but for now I’ll place a false screen over your mask to make them think you’re still being drained. Please, Castle, I beg you not to act until I return.”
“And if you don’t? If Luak kills you before you can come to me?”
Lady Spry hesitated, considering their options. “Then Luak is yours to do with as you please. If he kills me, let all hell break loose.”
“I was right to like you,” the castle said.
Regina waved her wand, summoning the cloaking spell that would fool Luak’s guards—and hopefully Luak himself. She stood, and slipped out the door with only moments to spare before the guards regained their senses.
She hurried down the hall to her bedchamber, content with their plan thus far. It contained far too many what-ifs for her liking, but at least the resistance finally had a plan.
She would do everything in her power to see that Luak failed.
Chapter 13
“You want me to do what?” Queen Angelique of Lochrose paused mid-bite, a half-eaten croissant dangling from her delicate fingers she stared at Victoria with an utterly baffled expression.
“I know it’s a lot to ask, Angelique,” Victoria said, glancing around the Lochrose palace. They sat in the same dining hall where Victoria had first met Angelique what felt like years ago, but which had been mere weeks.
Just a handful of weeks since she had faced th
e sphinx, and she was already back to ask for a favor.
Only the two of them sat at the massive banquet table, a modest array of cheeses and breads set before them to whet their appetites while they discussed politics and war. Styx helped himself to most of the food on Victoria’s plate, mumbling happily as he gorged.
Audrey had stayed in the hidden tunnels to strategize, and Fyrn was off buying some rare potion that could only be found here. Since he had created the illegal portal that had gotten them here so quickly, he was Victoria’s ticket home.
After she got Angelique to agree to join their war, of course.
“Victoria, it’s more than ‘a big ask.’ You’re requesting that my people die for you.” Angelique leaned back in her chair, food forgotten as she processed the appeal.
Victoria sighed. “I wouldn’t be asking unless I absolutely needed your help. Fairhaven is being overrun, and every time I leave it gets worse. More people die. More people disappear. More homes are burned to the ground. He’s taking over my home city, Angelique. Surely you can understand what that’s like.”
Angelique’s jaw tensed, and her gaze flitted to the floor.
Victoria leaned across the table, choosing each word as carefully as she could so as not to lose what progress she had made. “We don’t know who will be king when the dust settles, but I can promise you this—you will have a powerful ally in whoever rules next. Fairhaven will be forever in your debt, forever your friend when you need us. You’re reemerging in the magical world after being lost to the ages, and you’re going to face growing pains as con artists and mercenaries come here to make their fortunes. We can help each other, Angelique. Always.”
Angelique smiled ruefully, softly shaking her head as she made her decision. “You present quite the argument, Victoria Brie.”
She shrugged modestly. “I say it like it is.”
“That you do. How would we even find you?”
“With this.” Victoria pulled out a roll of parchment.
“What is it?”
“An enchanted map, courtesy of Fyrn. This will lead you to us and includes the counter spells to the protections we’ve put around our camp. If we move, this will show you where we’ve gone.”
The Queen frowned deeply. “That’s a dangerous map to have made. In the wrong hands…”
“If you accept and help us, this map will only work for you.”
The Queen sighed and tapped a thin finger on her chin, eyes shifting out of focus as she internally debated everything Victoria had shared thus far.
“So what will it be?” Victoria asked softly.
Angelique caught Victoria’s eye, and the concerned frown bled away into a gentle smile. “Very well, my friend. For you, anything. It will take some time, but we will assemble our army.”
Victoria sighed with relief. “Thank you, Angelique. Oh my God, thank you.”
Angelique chuckled. “Don’t thank me yet. Keep in mind that my soldiers haven’t trained to fight anything but a single monster. We will need guidance from your military leaders on what to expect and how to prepare.”
“How long will you need?”
“A month.”
Victoria let out the tiniest of panicked moans, trying her best not to be ungrateful. “I don’t know if we have a month.”
“Then I apologize, but we cannot move faster. We need not only to mobilize our army, but also train them to fight new foes. A month is fast, seeing as we are utterly unprepared to fight a Rhazdon host as powerful as you say this Luak person is.”
“You’re right.” Victoria leaned her elbows on the table, trying to calm her racing heart. This was still a win, even if it put her pulse into overdrive.
Would they arrive in time? She simply didn’t know.
Angelique set a graceful hand on top of Victoria’s. “Remember, my friend, that these witches and wizards have never fought a real war in their lives. What we do for you, we do to repay the freedom you gave us. We need time to make sure we do it properly.”
Victoria nodded and forced a smile, one she hoped seemed genuine. These witches and wizards weren’t really soldiers. They were recently-freed prisoners who had no idea what life was like outside of Lochrose, and yet they still rallied to her defense.
As her mind raced with possibilities of how to delay Luak a month, her heart sank into her stomach as she realized she might have just signed these good people’s death warrants.
Chapter 14
Once more disguised as a Light Elf, Audrey pressed herself against the wall in the mercenaries’ assembly hall. Dozens of ogres and elves congregated, arguing with each other or sharpening their blades as they waited for the captain to arrive.
During the last week, Audrey had slipped into the meeting hall whenever she could. The resistance needed as much information as they could gather, and she possessed a unique ability that could get them that information.
Even if Victoria hated that her friend slipped away to do this, Audrey didn’t feel like she had a choice. It was a risk, sure, but it had already paid off. They knew patrol routes, times, the size of Luak’s army—incredibly valuable intel.
But lately, more eyes drifted to her as she entered. More gazes lingered. More heads tilted toward each other, whispering as they watched her lean against the back wall.
She glared at one pair of orcs who stared openly at her, waiting for them to look away.
They didn’t.
Her jaw tensed. Perhaps she had been pushing her luck. Maybe they had begun to notice the Light Elf no one seemed to recognize, the one who always hung out near the door.
Last in, first out. That was Audrey’s way to stay safe and give herself an escape route should she need it—and it was starting to look like she might.
Shoulders tensed, legs itching to run, Audrey eyed the door. Maybe it was time to go. If she was subtle, possibly she could just slip out without anyone stopping her. Wait for a distraction and then—
“Shut the doors,” a booming voice ordered from somewhere in the crowd.
Shit. She gulped, trying to relax her shoulders as she panicked internally.
As the doors creaked shut to begin the meeting, the massive ogre who often spoke to the troops pushed through the crowd and jumped onto the platform. She would have to wait this one out.
The soldiers fell silent as the ogre paced the platform, hands behind his back as his gaze drifted from face to face in the crowd. It seemed almost like he was looking for someone, and Audrey gritted her teeth with nerves.
You’re being paranoid, she chided herself.
I do not think you are, the koi said in her mind.
Not helping. Not. Helping.
Please find an exit, the koi prodded. I’ve grown rather fond of you and would prefer it if you did not die today.
Audrey rolled her eyes. Thanks for the warm fuzzies. Focus!
Audrey scanned the walls as the orc continued to pace the raised platform, but the only other door was on the opposite end of the room. It stood open, like a beacon inviting her to freedom, but she knew better. It led into the castle, toward Luak. Besides, she couldn’t move through a stationary crowd without being seen. It was better to wait for the meeting to adjourn.
The ogre’s eyes rested on her and he sneered. “There you are.”
Nope, change of plans. She would not be waiting for the meeting to adjourn.
“Grab her!” the ogre shouted. The crowd surged toward her, and the nearest elves reached for her neck.
With her cover blown, Audrey didn’t bother keeping the elf form. She needed her Atlantean magic to fight, since she couldn’t do much of anything as an elf. Her body hummed and shimmered as it returned to its natural state, and she lifted one hand in front of her. The other she shoved into her pocket, grabbing the Atlantean gem hidden in her clothes.
Her hands brimmed with white energy, the electricity rolling over her skin like lightning. Several of the nearest soldiers shrank away, apparently not certain what she was doing, and her
threat kept the crowd at bay.
For the moment, anyway.
If she wanted out of here, she would have to keep the upper hand. That meant acting first and staying on the offensive.
It also meant blowing shit up.
Audrey turned her attention to the door, and in a matter of seconds blew it apart with her brilliant white magical energy. Splintered boards rained on the crowd, and while they ducked she ran.
She bolted through the hallway, shooting rays of white light at anyone in her path. Some of the elves jumped out of the way or pressed themselves against the wall, but many tried to attack her. She dodged sword after sword, fist after fist, and spell after spell while she raced for the exit.
With every burst of magic from her hands, she wondered if this was it. She was facing an army by herself with only the now-lost element of surprise on her side.
Worst of all, she had to admit Victoria was right. She should never have done this.
***
Back home in the protected tunnels, Victoria leaned over the Fairhaven map in their war room. She bit her lip as she pored over what she knew of the remaining families, wondering which—if any—would be willing to help.
The flutter of tiny wings caught her attention, and she glanced as a fairy bolted through the cloth covering the doorframe. The little male huffed, wheezing as he waved for her attention.
“Yes?” she asked, a little confused by the interruption.
“Audrey…castle. Hurry…” he wheezed.
Victoria frowned, heart thudding as she processed the fairy’s warning. Audrey had infiltrated the meeting hall again, and this time they had caught her.
“Where?” Victoria demanded.
“South side, near the town square,” the fairy said, finally catching his breath.
Victoria charged through the door, running toward the exit. Portals took time to create, time she didn’t have. She had to run, and even if she did she might not get there in time.
***
Four elves and two ogres blocked the barred doors as Audrey sprinted toward the exit. This was the final door—her salvation—and she would make it through.
With the last of her magic, she shot a brilliant bolt of white light at the guards. Some of them jumped out of the way, but most were thrown into the massive doors, which burst open and sprinkled shards of wood and metal on the cobblestone streets outside.
