Zollin sat back in his chair, trying to wrap his mind around what he was hearing.
“Do I have Yelsia’s support?” the king asked.
“I cannot speak for King Hausey,” Zollin said.
“Yet here you are, inquiring on his behalf. I will not let Baskla fall behind Yelsia. Ortis must be defended and yes, it makes sense to bring both kingdoms under one banner. I have no doubt that Hausey will do the same with Falxis.”
“It sounds like you are rushing to war,” Zollin said. “If you conquer Ortis and Yelsia conquers Falxis, what happens when both armies reach Osla?”
“That will depend on what your king does,” Ricard said calmly. “I do not wish for conflict, but we do not have a mountain range protecting our southern flank. I must do what is best for my people.”
“War is never best, my king,” Zollin said.
“You know, I heard about King Hausey’s coronation. I heard that the crown of Yelsia was yours, yet you gave it away. I have no doubt that you are a wise and powerful wizard, Zollin, but only a king understands the responsibilities I face. And never doubt that I know what is best for my people.”
“I meant no offense.”
“And none is taken,” the king replied. “But consider this: you could make Baskla your home. Your talents would be appreciated here. You wouldn’t be sent on errands, certainly.”
“I would feel safer with you nearby,” Amvyr added.
The king nodded approvingly, but Zollin felt strangely embarrassed. Amvyr leaned forward and gave Zollin a seductive look that made him uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry, my lord, but I have other pressing business. I will gladly carry any dispatches you have for King Hausey back to him, but I really must be leaving in the morning.”
“He must have strong leverage to keep a wizard in check,” King Ricard said.
“No,” Zollin replied. “I came here as a courtesy to King Hausey, but my wife Brianna has gone south and I will be going to join her soon.”
“I see, and there’s nothing we can do to convince you to stay?” the king asked.
“Anything at all?” Amvyr said.
“No,” Zollin replied quickly.
The rest of the dinner was finished quickly and Zollin excused himself. He felt strangely uncomfortable in Forxam. He went back up to his rooms and tried to sleep, but he was too restless. There was a building sense of foreboding that Zollin couldn’t understand. He could still feel the evil that was growing all around him, but it felt passive, not dangerous. When the door to his room slowly opened Zollin was awake in his bed. He immediately raised a shield around himself, but waited to see who might be sneaking into his room.
“Zollin? Are you there?”
“Amvyr,” the young wizard whispered. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said in a pouty voice. “I’m afraid.”
Zollin started to sit up on his bed but the princess was at his side in a flash, pushing him back down.
“Don’t get up,” she said in a breathy voice. “I want to lie here with you.”
“That wouldn’t be appropriate,” Zollin managed to say, although his heart was suddenly pounding and his mouth was dry.
“Why? I know you have feelings for me. I’ve seen the way you look at me. You can have me, Zollin. I can convince my father to arrange our marriage. You could be king of Baskla.”
“I don’t want to be king of Baskla and I’m already married.”
“No, she left you. She doesn’t love you, but I do. Please Zollin, stay with me. I can make you happy, I know it.”
“Amvyr…”
Zollin tried to protest but the princess slid on top of him. The thick wool blanket was all that separated them and no matter how much Zollin wanted to fight back his desire he simply couldn’t. He could feel the blood rushing hot through his body and his mind could think of nothing but taking Amvyr into his bed.
“We can have more than Baskla,” she whispered. “The other kingdoms are weak, but together we could be so strong.”
She tried to kiss him but he managed to turn his head at the last instant. He felt trapped and angry, the only thing stronger than his lust for the princess was his magic. It seemed to be churning in a hot whirlwind inside him. Part of it wanted to flow through Zollin and into Amvyr, which was a strange sensation and one he’d never experienced before. The other part of him wanted nothing to do with the princess. Zollin knew the girl had been exposed to a strong evil, but he hadn’t felt a sense of magic about her, not since leaving the castle ruins, yet something about her was calling to his magic, enticing it to join her.
He let his magic flow, but instead of flowing into Amvyr he used it to levitate her body up and off of his so that he could roll to the side and slide off the bed. He hit the floor and got quickly to his feet. The look on Amvyr’s face, even in the darkness, was one of cold fury.
“That’s it,” she said, her voice cold and hard. “I’m through with you, wizard. Your power is weak compared to the ancient one. If you ever come back here I will see to your death personally.”
Zollin wanted to ask Amvyr what was going on but he could suddenly feel the powerful evil that he’d felt in the castle ruins. It was emanating from Amvyr like heat from a bonfire. Zollin tensed, expecting her to attack him using some strange magic, but instead she turned and sauntered away. She glanced back just before opening the door and gave him one last look. Her eyes flashed a sickly yellow color. Then she was gone.
Zollin quaked as if he’d just woken from a bad dream. He couldn’t help but feel like he’d just narrowly avoided losing his life. Whatever had held Amvyr for so long in the castle ruins was still there, still part of who the girl was. In fact, the dark magic may have replaced her completely. He hadn’t learned about such magic, but he’d heard stories about strange, magical creatures that could take over a person’s body. Zollin wondered if whatever was inhabiting Amvyr would have been able to take control of him too if he’d given in to her seduction. He wanted to scream and he wanted to cry. His loneliness and desire for Brianna had never been stronger. He needed her and he couldn’t help but feel resentment that she had abandoned him. Finding Brianna would have to be his first priority once he returned to Orrock. He wasn’t sure what the future held for them as a couple but he was certain that whatever evil was building across the Five Kingdoms that he would need her by his side to fight it.
Chapter 5
Rowing upriver was slow, the heat stifling, and the two men grumbled as they worked. They made camp at dusk, building a small fire near the river and sharing a light meal. The guards were stoic, and Roleena was aloof, but she listened as Powl and Vernyr talked about their various adventures. She assumed they were exaggerating, or even simply lying, but it passed the time.
It was well past midnight when Powl decided he could take liberties with Roleena. She was rolled in a long cloak, her feet near the fire. Her guards were both snoring and Roleena had been dreaming of sailing in the warm sunshine. Powl’s body weight pinned her to the ground when he pounced on her, covering her mouth with his callused hand.
“Stay quiet and I won’t hurt you,” he said.
His breath was foul and she couldn’t help but struggle, but the stocky man’s weight was too great for Roleena to break free. He was grinning, his free hand fumbling awkwardly at her clothing. Roleena didn’t take the time to find out exactly what Powl was trying to do. Her own hand slid her dagger free and came up in rush that caught the stocky man by surprise. He saw the movement at the last possible moment and tried to dodge the blow, but he wasn’t fast enough. The razor-sharp blade severed his ear and sent him rolling off of her.
Roleena got to her feet, as did the guards who looked sheepish as they watched Powl moaning in agony. Vernyr looked horrified, but Roleena didn’t care. It took all her willpower not to cut Powl’s heart out.
“I’m no wench, you bloody fool. How dare you put your hands on me,” she shouted.
“I’m
sorry, I’m sorry,” Powl moaned. “Oh, my ear.”
“You’re lucky that’s all I cut off,” she snarled. “And you two worthless excuses for guards will keep watch through the night from now on or I’ll have you drawn and quartered.”
“Yes, Captain,” they said in unison.
“I’m surrounded by fools!”
She spat on Powl, then stalked out to the jolly boat which had been pulled up on shore. She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep for hours. Her heart was pounding and she knew that soon her body would quake. She wasn’t afraid, but danger always affected her strongly. She dug through the rations that were stored on the boat and retrieved the bottle of wine she had purchased from the tavern. She removed the cork and drank straight from the bottle, letting the wine warm her from the inside out. It soothed her rattled nerves. She could hear Powl whimpering behind her, but she didn’t care about his pain. Men always wanted two things from her: coin and sex. They thought their greater strength entitled them to do whatever they wanted, but she refused to be victimized.
There was blood on her dagger, which she cleaned with a scrap of sailcloth that was in the jolly boat. The stars were bright above her, the moon a glimmering sliver. The sound of the water flowing past their camp was soothing, and the night air was cold. Osla was a hot, dry kingdom, but at night the air grew chilly and along the river valley there was a perpetual dampness that rose like fog in the night. She preferred the darkness. In the daylight she felt exposed, weak, but at night she could be anything she wanted.
After drinking half the bottle of wine she curled up in the jolly boat and slept a few hours. Dawn came early and brought an almost immediate increase in the temperature. They ate quickly, Powl looking sheepish with his ear covered in a bloody bandage. After making sure their fire was extinguished, they set off for the Grand City again. It took a full day of travel, but the city that had once been the wonder of the Five Kingdoms came into view just before dark. They made camp and kept watch, alert for any signs of danger, but the night passed without incident.
The next day, Roleena set out with just one of her guards. The other stayed behind to keep watch on the two men who had rowed them upriver. The hardest part of their job was finished, since the current would make the return trip much easier. She guessed that they could travel back to Hamsbury in just one day, but first she needed to find what remained of the tower that had once housed the legendary wizards of the Torr.
Roleena knew next to nothing about magic. Growing up there were no wizards other than the mysterious members of the Torr. And despite the fact that she was from a wealthy, noble family, she had never encountered a wizard before she met Zollin. That encounter had changed her forever. He was young and handsome enough, but he was unlike any man she’d ever met. He had real power, not just brute strength, or wealth, or skill with a sword. He could do things she could scarcely believe, even after seeing them. Yet he was like a child with his father’s sword, reckless, with no real comprehension of the power he wielded so carelessly. Her leg had been a casualty of that recklessness. It had taken all her will to overcome the despair that losing her leg had brought on her. She had sailed out of that storm and taken control of her life, becoming one of the most ruthless pirates along the Yelsian coast, but she wanted more. And she had an inkling that the books the wizard Branock had commissioned her to find would hold the key to a greater level of power than she could find anywhere else.
They traveled through the maze of streets that made up the magnificent capital of Osla. The wide avenues that had once been crowded with people were now abandoned. Only wreckage and refuse choked the cobblestone streets, while the city was unnaturally quiet. Roleena saw the occasional person peering out from the shadowy haunts of buildings, but none spoke. The Grand City had become a tomb, only there were no dead; the strange creatures that had destroyed the city had carried the bodies of the fallen away. The emptiness made the city seem more frightening somehow.
Hours passed as they searched through the city. The huge sprawl of buildings and crisscrossing streets made the Grand City a maze with no one to point them in the right direction. They spent hours searching for any sign of the massive tower that had once been the home of the infamous Torr wizards. Roleena had seen the tower before, but only from a distance. It had been the tallest structure in the Grand City, visible for miles around, but no one dared go near it if they didn’t have to. The rumors about the tower, and the wizards who lived there, were legend. Some of the wizards were complete recluses, others prisoners, but all were known to be powerful and cruel. It was said that the master of the Torr counseled the kings of the Five Kingdoms, but Roleena had never seen or heard of any wizards when she was at court in Orrock.
Some of the structures in the Grand City were completely destroyed, just piles of wood, stone, and shattered clay tiles. Others were mostly intact with only damage to their roofs, but nothing looked familiar. Roleena’s guard had never been to the capital before and was no help to her. He followed behind and kept a watch for anyone or anything that might try to harm them, but Roleena had little faith in the man. He was strong enough, and well-armed, but he was meant to intimidate, not actually fight on her behalf.
When the sun sank low and they hadn’t found the tower, Roleena’s spirits sank. She rarely questioned herself, but she had to wonder if finding books for a wizard was worth the trouble. She had his gold; she could turn back and report that there was nothing left to find. But she needed an ally if she was going to kill Zollin. Her heart was filled with a need for revenge and if finding the lost tower would bring her closer to the young wizard’s death, she would find it or die trying.
They took shelter for the night in an abandoned home. It was small, but the stone walls were intact and sturdy. It only took them a few minutes to clear the rubble of the broken-down roof. There was a bed in the corner, and a chair. They shuttered the windows and barred the door, then settled in for the night. There was no fire and no need to keep watch. If something came for them in the night it would make plenty of noise getting in. Roleena slept on the small bed while her guard rested in the chair.
At dawn they were up and moving again. It was almost noon before they finally came to a space that was littered with large stones. A round structure had once occupied the space, and from the amount of rubble in and around the ruined building, Roleena guessed it was the tower. She could also feel a strange sense of foreboding. Osla was a sweltering kingdom, but Roleena felt a chill as the structure came into sight.
“That’s it,” she told her guard. “Try and find a way in.”
“A way into what?” the man replied. “It’s totally destroyed.”
“Don’t be daft. The tower is gone, but a structure this size would have had a substantial foundation. There will be rooms intact below ground.”
The rest of the day was spent moving the rubble around. Roleena found fragments of books and scrolls—most were unsalvageable, but she kept anything that looked like it might be of use. Most of the manuscripts were in languages that Roleena didn’t recognize, but she’d been tasked with bringing back as much as she could. There were no stipulations on what languages to look for, so if a document or manuscript was legible, she put it into a pile to be carried back to her ship.
An hour before dark the guard discovered a stairway leading down into the darkness. He was covered with sweat and grime, but his skin was pale and he looked frightened.
“What’s wrong?” Roleena asked.
“I found a way down,” he said. “But there’s nothing good down there.”
“I don’t need your opinion, just keep watch.”
“Are you sure, my lady?”
“Don’t call me that,” she hissed. “I’m your captain and if you forget again I’ll have you flogged around the deck. Is that clear enough for your addled brain?”
“Yes, Captain,” the guard said.
He showed her the stairwell. It had been covered with stone and wooden beams, but the guard had remo
ved enough of the rubble that Roleena could squeeze through the opening. The stairs led down into complete darkness and the foreboding that Roleena felt grew stronger as she gazed into the gloom, but she refused to be cowed.
“Make me a torch,” she ordered. “And be quick about it.”
“Aye, Captain.”
There was plenty of wood and rags to make a torch. The only things missing were oil and fire. Kindling a torch with nothing more than flint and steel would be difficult, so while the guard crafted a crude torch, Roleena started a small fire. The sun was going down and if there were bandits in the ruins of the Grand City, they would see the light, but Roleena decided she couldn’t worry about that now. She didn’t want to leave her discovery now that the way had finally opened up to her. She would go down and collect whatever treasures there were to be had, and then leave the city in the morning.
“You’re really going down there alone?” the guard asked.
“That’s right. I’ve been tasked with finding books and scrolls.”
“Surely there are more valuable items to be found without going down there. I’ve got a bad feeling about this place.”
“Just keep watch,” Roleena said. “I’ll be back shortly.”
She took the torch and crawled down into the dark corridor.
Chapter 6
The fortress was little more than a temporary camp. Hogart was not a builder, and the small band of outcasts with him had settled for simply piling debris between several of the more solid structures to make a rectangular courtyard. There was a small cache of gold, silver, and a few jewels, but nothing worth dying for in Lorik’s opinion. They stayed through the night, Spector keeping watch in the darkness while Lorik encouraged the outcasts. Most were terrified; they had not been warriors in their previous lives. They were farmers mostly, a leather worker, and a few cattlemen. None were from the small village and like the other outcasts they couldn’t remember what happened to them from the time the witch’s monsters attacked until she was slain and the outcasts under her control were set free, so finding loved ones or returning to their homes was difficult, and the southern kingdoms had become incredibly dangerous. Most of the outcasts feared for their lives. They had no idea where they were or how to get back home, and their mutated bodies horrified and repulsed them. It took time to adjust to the changes they were going through, and many simply chose to hide out in the closest shelter they could find, hoping that something would change.
Chaos Reigning: The Five Kingdoms Book 10 Page 4
