Radiant's Honor (Founders Series Book 2)

by Mari Dietz

  The lamp glowed in the bleak area, illuminating the path she must have stumbled out of. In the wide room, there was no other path. She sighed in relief since she hadn’t been able to see anything the last time she’d been there.

  The boat’s wheels creaked as she pulled it along in the dark. Her father and Kai would be furious when they found out she’d left. William might understand the most. Vic didn’t want to give herself time to regret coming alone. If the founders wanted to rescue the other vitals later, she would help them, but she needed her sister now. Nothing was as it should be, and she would not let her become a casualty. Maddox was in this situation because of her. Vic lived with enough guilt. She didn’t need more when she could get them out. If she needed to live in the tunnels and search for them every day, she would.

  The sound of water grew louder, and the familiar smell of sewage greeted her.

  “Here we go. Let’s avoid the swim tonight.”

  She found the room of twisted metal and gems—where William had almost become a radiant. She wondered if Bomrosy had found out anything about the gem. She went to the river. The hardest part, for now, would be pushing the boat upstream. She thanked the man’s foresight for the poles. She’d forgotten that detail in her hurry to get down here.

  The current wasn’t strong, and Vic got in and used the poles to push herself off the shore. She thought the boat might sink without magic but relaxed when it floated. Imbs wouldn’t want to waste magic making the boat float. They would build it right the first time. The poles were long enough to reach the bottom of the river. She stayed close to the side where William and Samuel had walked. In the dark lighting, she didn’t want to miss the dock.

  The entrance turned out to be easy to spot, and she pushed the boat toward it. The bottom of the boat scraped against the stone ground when she landed on the ramp. It only took a moment to pull the boat out and tuck it behind large wooden crates.

  “I hope we can all fit in it.” Vic worried her lip. Em and Maddox were more on the slender side, so it should be okay. She huffed. “If I have to swim out of here, I’ll swim out.” She grinned at the thought of William trying not to fall into the water. He’d probably had a panic attack over it.

  Vic didn’t hurry in the dark halls. She unharnessed her scythe, keeping the blade ready in case someone attacked. In the area where William had found caged mogs, the silence bothered her. She swallowed when she noticed the first empty cage.

  Surely they didn’t let them wander around? Maybe they relocated them at night? It seemed like too much trouble to move around mogs constantly.

  The mogs that attacked Nyx had all mobbed in at once. Had they come from here? How did GicCorp control that kind of release?

  Vic made her way down the long hall of cages. Her steps were silent, and at any noise, she scanned the area.

  A wide opening appeared ahead, and she peeked out into the extensive field. Empty. The radiant were likely out gathering people now that it was dark. She walked into the open area. The bottom of the structure had many large openings. Maybe more mogs or supplies? Vic focused on the upper floors, which contained rows and rows of doors with small windows. Did the radiant or the vitals sleep there? Was there a difference? She would pull off every hood and mask from every radiant if she needed to, but for now, she could check the rooms.

  Her hand curved around the edge of the wall, and she spotted a flight of stairs to her right. Even though the area was empty, she rushed to the stairs. The open area let in the night breeze, and it was enjoyable not to smell human waste for once tonight.

  Light flooded the large arena, and she narrowed her eyes against the sudden brightness.

  “You’re an interesting woman, Victoria Glass,” a voice echoed throughout the arena.

  Vic turned to see Tristan standing on the second floor. No one else was with him.

  “Glad I can entertain. Why don’t you save me some time and tell me where my sister and Maddox are?” She couldn’t turn back now that she’d come so far. She could go through Tristan, maybe. He’d come out alone, confident in his power to beat her. That thought worried her, but something in the tunnels had attacked and weakened him, so he could be wounded.

  “The call to be a vital is noble. Why would you separate them from their duty?” A sarcastic edge tainted his voice.

  Vic swung her blade in front of her. The swish of her blade through the air comforted her, and she rolled her shoulders. “You already know I don’t believe it. Your lies smell stronger than the shit river I took to get here. Where’s my sister? I helped you once. Give her back to me.”

  He wagged his finger. “That wasn’t the deal. I said she would live.”

  Too smug at her expense. A question burned in her throat, but she didn’t want to ask. “Did you keep your word?” The words hung in the air between them.

  Tristan stared down at her. A slow tilt to his head, but she could still see his damn smile. “No.”

  The world closed in around her, and all she saw was the man who’d killed Em. An animalistic screech blasted through the air, and it came from her. Vic’s body blurred as she ran to him. Her ears rang, and with every heartbeat, she felt her blood coursing through her. There would be no more peace in her world. Her scythe would cut through the flesh of his neck, even if it meant her life.

  Vic vaulted up the steps, but near another side entrance next to the stairs, a large mog stuck out its arm, ramming into her.

  Vic flew back and gasped for air. In her rage, she’d paid no mind to her surroundings. She pushed up and cut blindly at the mog, but more surrounded her. She spun around, and they closed in, leaving no gap. The black creatures stilled, making a cage of rot and bone, and watched her.

  She jerked her head to face Tristan as he looked down at her and screamed, “What’s this?”

  “Your funeral.”

  Vic’s body burned. Even if she could take down one mog, it would fill her gicgauge. With another scream, she raised her scythe in the air. She glared at the man who only knew how to take.

  “I may have failed today, but others will come.” With all her force, she slammed the gicgauge against the stone floor, and it shattered off her relic.

  Tristan’s eyes widened.

  Vic wasted no more time. Once the stone got overwhelmed, it would shatter too, but she didn’t have to die lying down. Holding her blade in front of her, she dove under the mog with the longest legs. Breaking out of the circle, she tried to gain some ground against them.

  Her reprieve didn’t last long, as the mogs came at her in a rush of crunching bodies. She took a deep breath to calm her mind. In her anger, she would make too many mistakes, but grief overwhelmed her, and all she could see was her sister’s face. She met the first mog, a stubby thing that had broken away from the rest.

  She dodged its attacks and sprinted out of the room. Her scythe burned in her hands as she slashed it, almost too hot for her to hold on to. Power flowed like a wave of pure fire crashing down. For now, there was no limit to her relic. She would use it until the stone shattered.

  The blade glowed a brilliant red. The stubby mog fell in a pile of bones, as did the one next to it. She didn’t even need to touch it. Wild power coursed through her as she planted her feet and let the fire of her scythe flow through her body. Tears left her eyes like lava scorching down her cheeks. She would burn to ash as flames licked her insides.

  She ignored the mogs melting around her. The fire burned and fueled her body.

  Vic pushed her consumed body toward Tristan. Ash swirled through the air. She opened her mouth, and fiery blood dripped from the corners and onto her chin.

  “Burn with me.”

  Tendons popped from Tristan’s neck, and his lips trembled. He opened and closed his mouth, but no words came as she strode toward the stairs, the mog bones aflame behind her.

  “Scared?” More blood poured from her mouth and burned her skin. The relic turned white-hot in her hands, but she didn’t let go.

  Trist
an pulled out his wand, and a force hit and crept through her.

  Numbness from the orb in her neck branched out in her body. Vic flinched as her fire dimmed around her and the orb’s coolness took control.

  “This is how you control the mogs?” Vic rasped.

  Blood splattered the ground in front of her. She let out a low, hoarse laugh and raised her hand before the orb’s power overcame her. Her fingers dug into the flesh of her neck. Her scorched skin pulsed as she gripped the orb. With her bare hands, she ripped out the orb. It dropped to the ground without a sound and fused into the stone. More blood traced down her body. She became the fire that burned inside her.

  The control Tristan had tried to gain over her vanished, and her magic reignited, but her body couldn’t take much more.

  In desperation, she pushed forward but fell to her knees, reaching out for him. She didn’t understand, but Tristan blurred under her magic, and an echo of someone else shadowed behind him. Someone faceless and empty.

  “No,” he yelled. More mogs surrounded her as Tristan hunched over.

  The mogs tried to use up her magic, and she screamed. She would die and take him with her. Vic reached within herself but found nothing more. The fire dimmed inside her. The point of no return had arrived. She would use everything in her last moment and join her sister.

  Vic focused her relic, not on the mogs but on Tristan. “Die.”

  She was close enough to see sweat pour down his face and death reflect in his eyes. Maybe now her sister would be at peace.

  I’m sorry, Sister. I couldn’t save you. Vic pulled the magic through her with one last tug from her own body. I’m ready to die.

  18

  Vic

  “Vic, stop!”

  A voice pierced her tired mind. No, she couldn’t stop. She needed to kill him.

  “Vic, we’re here. Don’t do this. We need you.”

  The smell of clean linen surrounded her, breaking through the ash and calming her.

  “He … killed … her …”

  “We’ll get him. Let go of your magic. Let us help!”

  She paused at the desperation in his voice, and the flaming magic around her stilled. Vic reached for it again. “No. No. No. No!” She coughed, and blood spattered William’s clothing as he held her on the ground. “Why? Why did I stop? Why did you stop me?”

  His blue eyes searched her. “It’s not time to go yet.”

  “I could have killed him.” She wanted to see his body dissolve into ash.

  “I know, but I couldn’t let you go. I’m sorry.” His hand brushed her sweaty hair from her forehead. The coolness of his hands soothed the burning inside her.

  Tristan’s voice sounded from down in the arena. “If you go now, I’ll let you live.”

  Vic looked past William. Rows of black-clad reapers filled the space. The leaders from each Order stood in front of them.

  Kai stepped forward and pulled out a piece of paper. “Decree number twenty-eight: If a reaper should see a corrupted soul or mog enter into a building, the reaper shall not be hindered to enter and contain the blight.” Kai tucked the paper back into his pocket. “I see a lot of mogs in Haven.” He turned to the other leaders. “Don’t you?”

  The Boreus and Dei leaders nodded, and Tristan’s face turned red. “Leave!”

  In unison, all the reapers drew their scythes and flicked them open.

  “We will, as soon as we clear out the mogs.” Masked figures joined Tristan, and more mogs appeared.

  Tristan voice grew icy. “Fine.”

  With a roar, the mogs and reapers collided on the open field.

  Shouts of battle reverberated in the arena. More and more mogs came from the tunnels. The flood of reapers met them. Boreus and Dei had brought hundreds of reapers, and the mogs formed a black wave of flesh as bone clanged with metal.

  William pulled her up and held her as she regained her footing.

  “Let’s get back. You can’t fight in this condition. We can find Maddox and the other vitals.”

  Vic stumbled as he pulled her to the other side of the arena. The reapers held the line against the giant mogs. More people joined Tristan, but she couldn’t see who from this distance. More mogs appeared, but the reapers met them head-on. The bones of drained mogs fell to the ground.

  “How did they all come together?”

  “Thanks to Kai and a guy named Landon.”

  Vic balked. Landon had helped?

  “Can you walk? I can go look for your sister and Maddox after I get you to safety.” William’s arms gripped her, and Samuel came up to support her on her other side.

  Vic turned to the battle, and he held her back. “Kai told me not to let you fight. Your gicgauge is broken. You’ll lose your relic and your life. Trust them.”

  His words came out in a rush as he led her toward the tunnel to the sewer. She had many questions, but they didn’t have time. “I can walk. I want to find Maddox.”

  William’s brows rose, but he didn’t question her. “We don’t have much time before we have to go.”

  Vic’s body ached as she forced her legs up the steps. She felt heavy and needed sleep.

  Samuel stayed under her arm, supporting her as they shuffled to the second floor. “Why’s Samuel here?”

  “He didn’t want to be left behind.”

  Vic shrugged, and they reached the second floor. The doors faced the arena, with only a small barred window to see inside. Slats on the bottom were where they got their food delivered.

  “Like a prison. If the radiant do what they want, would they need to be locked up?”

  William peered into the barred window. “I have a feeling this isn’t for the radiant.”

  Were the vitals locked up until GicCorp turned them? Or did they use them for something else? Was there a fate worse than a radiant life for them? Vic hoped that Maddox would still be herself.

  They rushed through the halls, but the rooms were empty. William stayed ahead to look inside while Vic limped behind him.

  The battle raged on below, and all the reapers’ gicgauges would be full before long. Then they would need to retreat.

  “Maddox!” Vic yelled down the hall.

  William caught on to her idea and ran forward, shouting her name. A faint reply answered from ahead. They exchanged looks, and William darted toward the answering call.

  He reached the door first, and by the time Vic arrived, William was muttering with his wand out, “What in the blight is locking this?”

  Maddox stood at the door, peering out. “Vic!” Her fingers reached through the bars.

  “What are they doing to you?” Vic asked and touched Maddox’s icy fingers.

  “I don’t know. The masked people brought me here and shoved me in this cell. No one is telling me anything. After a few days, it got quiet around me. I can’t even sense how they locked me in. The door is sealed. The latches don’t use magic.”

  “Will, can you open it?”

  He clenched his teeth. “Give me a second. It’s a bit of everything. I’m not as experienced as I should be. If they used what your friend calls tech, I won’t even know where to begin.”

  Vic held on to Maddox’s fingers. “Hold on, okay. William’s the only imb here, and he just started using magic.”

  Maddox snorted. “Pulled out all the stops, huh?”

  Vic smiled, although it was a bit wobbly. “Yeah, nothing but the best for my friend. I don’t suppose you know where your wand is so you can help?”

  “Not a chance.” She paused. “I saw your sister.”

  The hollowness returned in a crushing wave. “She’s dead.” The words sounded like they’d come from someone else.

  “What? When? I saw her before all the shouting started. Those who carried her took her farther on. I couldn’t tell which room, though. I was trying to see what was happening down there when I heard you say my name.”

  As Maddox spoke, Vic allowed hope to live in her. Tristan could have lied to mess with her,
but she’d believed him. “Are you sure?”

  “Not that many redheads, Vic.”

  Footfalls thundered from behind them. Masked figures stormed toward them as William tried to unlock the door. She dropped Maddox’s hand, and her heart pounded as she flicked open her weapon.

  The path was narrow enough for her to hold them back. It became a matter of how long her body could hold up before she dropped.

  William cursed. “I can’t even make a dent.” His fist hit the door as he worked.

  “What’s going on?” Maddox asked.

  “Masked radiant,” William answered. “You can’t kill them, Vic. They didn’t choose this.”

  Vic let out a frustrated sigh. “Are you kidding me? They’ll probably try to kill us.”

  “He’s right, Vic. Get your sister.”

  “What are you talking about? I’m not leaving you here.”

  The first radiant approached, and they were right. Their faces were blank as they fought Vic. She kept her blade away from them and hit them back. They weren’t trained fighters, so she had the advantage. GicCorp could tell them to fight, but it didn’t make the radiant fighters.

  Too many of them built up behind them, and Vic couldn’t hold them back much longer.

  “Vic.”

  “Don’t tell me to leave you again, Mads.” She’d come this far to find her friend. She couldn’t leave her behind now. Sweat mixed with the drying blood on her. Her legs shook, and the masked figures piled on, using their weight against her scythe to push her back.

  “Vic.”

  “I won’t.” Vic held her scythe across the path. She could push them back. She was strong enough to do this. She couldn’t leave. Samuel tried to help by holding the relic so she could defend her face from the radiant.

  Her feet slid back. Soon, they would be by Maddox’s door.

  “Vic, you’re done here.” Her friend’s voice, even though quiet, cut through the noise. Acceptance of what Vic had tried to do filled it, but she could hear that Maddox had quit.