The Sartious Mage (The Rhythm of Rivalry)

by B. T. Narro

  In moments where the path was straight enough for me to take my eyes off it, I glanced behind me to Lisanda. Each time she looked confused, but in more pain than before. Her hands were on her stomach and her face contorted, her head drifting back and forth.

  “What kind of poison is that?” I yelled to keep my voice louder than the horses.

  “One that works well against dangerous mages. There are no physical side effects until after the mind has been dulled. She must’ve swallowed very little to still be conscious, but we don’t have much time. Pick up the pace!”

  The southern entrance through the wall came into view. A host of guards on horseback had formed a line. The King stood, holding on to my shoulder with his one good hand for balance.

  “Slow down for a moment, this will save us time.”

  I slowed as he instructed while the men rode out to meet us.

  “Lisanda’s been poisoned!” he yelled. “Clear a path to the palace in front of us. Go now.”

  “Yes, my king,” one of them said. He whistled, made some hand gestures, and each of them turned their horses around and galloped at full speed.

  “Stay close behind them.”

  “Yes…my king,” I said, unsure if it was the appropriate response. The silence didn’t give me an answer.

  Danvell’s murmurs were loud enough for me to hear now. “Lisanda, I’m sorry. Stay strong. We’ll be there soon.”

  She groaned and then coughed violently.

  I looked back to find blood on her chin. Suddenly, the speed didn’t feel fast enough, but I knew better than to push the horses. They already were galloping hard, and we had ten miles to go. The horses in front of us were nearly trampling people as the guards atop them were shouting to make way.

  We used the Palace Road, as it was the straightest and widest in the city. Unfortunately, it was also the most crowded. Everyone scattered the moment they saw us coming, warning those behind them to get out of the way. I could hear their frantic screams moving with us, staying just out of reach of our stampeding horses. The sound of their screams would explode into baffled excitement the moment we passed. It felt like riding alongside a roaring wave, its tail end crashing onto itself behind me.

  Lisanda’s coughs worsened, and I could hear the wetness of blood thickening in each one. But the most terrifying was when I heard nothing. Even if it was just for a few seconds, I couldn’t resist the urge to look behind me to make sure her eyes were still open. They were, though the light within them was fading.

  As we neared the massive Takary Palace, I shouted behind me, “I’m carrying her inside when we get there.”

  “No. What do you expect to happen when you come inside the palace, a warm welcome? Just let my guards handle it.”

  “No…my king,” I added. “And no one is going to stop me. You will make sure of that.”

  “You’re just going to slow this down. My guards have orders to stop you.”

  “So run with me and tell them not to. I’m taking her myself. If anyone tries to stop me, it’ll just slow this down. No one will take her where she needs to go as fast as me, my king.”

  I could hear him grumbling something about me being a stubborn bastard. “Fine, we’re going to the basement. I’ll lead.”

  The gates to the palace already were open, and countless guards lined the path. I steered the horses as close as they could get to the wooden entry doors, which stood tall enough for a giant. Marble steps led to them, forcing us to dismount.

  I jumped off and grabbed Lisanda. The King was already halfway up the stairs, shouting for me to follow. The guards at the door parted, though their glares at me were noticeably annoyed and confused.

  The long hallway was crowded with guards, each awaiting instruction from their ruler.

  “Let us through,” he shouted. A few came to the King’s side, but he shooed them away. “I don’t need protection right now. Just stay out of the way.”

  Lisanda’s eyes were closed now. Her body hung lifeless in my arms.

  “Lisanda!” I shouted. “Can you hear me?”

  No reply.

  We reached the stairway that must’ve descended to the basement, but a man stood in the way. “Move, Varth Farro,” the King demanded. “Lisanda’s been poisoned!”

  The prince pointed at me with a sword. “He’s the one who took her! What’s he doing here?”

  “We don’t have time!” Danvell yelled. “Get out of the way.”

  Varth’s eyes were slits, locked onto me. “If you let this scum any farther into the palace, then the marriage is canceled, and my family will offer yours no support. He’s an insult to me by still being a free man!”

  Holding Lisanda against my chest, I switched her limp body to one arm to snag my wand from my belt. I gathered as much Bastial Energy as I could.

  “Jek, get him out of the way,” the King said calmly.

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” I sent a gust of Bastial wind at Varth Farro so strong he let out a startled scream as he was hurled a few yards, tumbling backward twice.

  We ran to the stairs, Danvell yelling back at him, “And your singing is atrocious, the worst in the world!”

  Varth gave the longest, most dramatic gasp I’d ever heard.

  The basement was not what I’d expected. The floor was tiled, white as snow, and lavish banners and paintings hung on each wall, just like the rest of the Takary Palace.

  We went down a few halls before finally reaching our destination—a double wooden door that the King, now panting, pushed open forcefully.

  “Oleya! Oleya, where are you?” he screamed with desperation.

  The room was an even square with not much to see besides a few velvet seats. A blonde woman with pale skin that seemed to yearn for sun burst through a door. She wore a long white coat so pristine and fresh it made the immaculate floor look dirty. I put her somewhere in her thirties.

  “My king.” Her calm eyes found Lisanda strewn across my arms, and panic struck her. “This way, hurry!”

  She led us into the room where she’d just been. It was even smaller than the first. The walls were crowded with shelves of potions and books and scrolls and jars of plants and animal parts. I noticed a bird talon beside purple flower petals as I waited for instructions.

  “Set her on the table.” Oleya pointed to a narrow bed that came up to my waist. It was covered by a cloth.

  I laid Lisanda there. My hand absently moved the hair from her face. “Lisanda, can you hear me?”

  “Lisanda, it’s your father,” the King tried, grabbing her hand.

  Nothing.

  “Move back, both of you,” Oleya said, leaning her ear over Lisanda’s face.

  Oleya’s head popped back up, and she started rummaging around the room for supplies. “She needs the antidote in her bloodstream now. I’m going to inject it. Give me space.”

  I heard the distinct sound of someone running down the hall toward us. I spun around to find a young woman who looked similar to Lisanda. She had the same dark hair, the same petite body.

  “Father! Where is she?” Then I remembered Jessend from the dressing room. She wore a red and white dress. It was open at the collar with silver laces running around it like a loose net.

  “Please, I can’t have people shouting and running around,” Oleya said, her tone well past irritated by now.

  Jessend didn’t seem to notice. “It’s you…” She pointed at me, narrowing her eyes in a harsh glare that reminded me of Lisanda’s face when she’d awoken in the tarp. Jessend reached in her dress, produced a knife, and jabbed it toward me as she spoke.

  “Why is he here, Father?”

  “Why do you have a knife?” Danvell was distraught.

  Oleya made everyone jump by screaming at the top of her lungs. “Get out! All of you, get out!”

  “Will she live?” I blurted.

  “Yes, if you let me work. Now leave!”

  The King sucked in a huge gust of air as if he’d been holding his b
reath. “Thank the stars.”

  Before I knew how, we were all in the square room with the door shut behind us. Jessend grabbed my arm and held her knife to my stomach.

  “How dare you come back here after what you did to Lisanda,” she muttered. Her tone contained such venomous anger it sent a chill through me. “You need to answer for your crime.”

  The King calmly extended his palm toward his daughter. “Jessend, give me the knife.” His tone was surprisingly cool, as if this wasn’t the first weapon he’d taken from her.

  Her shoulders slumped, and she handed it off with a dramatic sigh.

  “Where did you get this?” He waved it while wearing an unrelenting look of disappointment.

  “Why isn’t he rotting in a cell?” Jessend jabbed me in the shoulder with two fingers so hard it sent me back a step.

  “I asked you a question,” the King replied angrily.

  “I stole it from a guard.” Her eyes fell to the ground. I was reminded of Kalli and Sannil, the way he’d chastised her when she’d wanted to kill Exo.

  “Then you’ll return it,” Danvell said. “Princesses shouldn’t be using knives, and this should be the last time I see one in your hands unless you’re cutting meat. Is that understood?”

  Jessend kept her head bowed. “Yes, Father.” She slowly brought her eyes up to me, holding me in them for a breath before speaking. “You’d better not be here when I come back. It would be a mistake to think the knife is my only weapon.”

  “Jessend! What did I say about threatening people?”

  But she already was scampering out of the room, running past two guards stationed outside the door who hadn’t been there before. The King sighed and turned to me with an apologetic look.

  “We need to make this brief. You shouldn’t be here longer than you need to.” He slumped into a chair and winced with pain as he nursed his wrist. “Please sit.”

  Only then did I notice his exhaustion. I fell into the chair beside him, now feeling the same way he looked.

  “I tried as best I could, Jek.” His voice was weak, defeated. “But we needed more time. I thought we’d have it when you got back, but we didn’t yet.”

  “What are you saying…my king? You never had the cure?” Had he been lying to me this whole time? Oddly, there was no feeling of betrayal, no annoyance, and the thought of rage just seemed like too much work.

  My body was numb…tired and numb.

  “My chemists have theories, but they couldn’t come up with something proven to work without being able to test it on you. I figured you would be enthusiastic about the marriage and we could discuss working on the cure after. I didn’t have the time to convince you, and I grew frustrated. I was trying to fit everything together neatly.”

  He gestured with the fist of his good hand. “I apologize for misleading you, and I hope you know I don’t apologize often.” He kept his nose high and proud.

  Still, I felt nothing. I figured this was all I would get from him after he’d tried to poison me, after he’d broken his promise, after everything he’d done…an apology. I knew I should be upset with him, but truthfully I wasn’t. I was just relieved Lisanda would live. I knew I would’ve blamed myself if she’d died.

  “I’m not going to marry Jessend,” I decided to say, just in case he was crazy enough to propose the idea even after how he’d seen her act around me.

  He chuckled. “No, of course not. I’m sure she’ll find someone. She’s made it quite clear she doesn’t approve of my choice.” He lowered his head in thought, his voice lowering with it. “Though, with Varth Farro gone, perhaps Lisanda will accept the man I’ve set up for Jessend. His family is one of the wealthiest, and we need all the help we can get.”

  I thought of voicing my disapproval, but he seemed to be muttering more to himself than to me. And even a farm boy knew not to speak against the King, especially considering what had happened last time. He’d ripped up the contract and tried to force me to leave with nothing.

  He waved his hand between us. “My thoughts aren’t in the right place. They’re marred by images of fire and death. Damn Exo.”

  Danvell pushed himself out of the seat with his one good hand. “Guards, bring me some water.” His glance fell to me. “Make that two waters.”

  Water sounded wonderful. My lips were cracked. “Thank you, my king…but there’s been something I’ve been hesitant to ask, if you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Please.”

  “Harwin…I mean the Prince of Zav. Is he safe?” Some feeling returned then—dread twisting in my stomach.

  The guards came with our water, and I nearly drank it all in one gulp. The King waited for them to return to the door before answering.

  “His father is on the way here to sign a peace treaty and take him back. He’s already moved his army back, far from our territory, thanks to you. I suppose he’ll make the treaty as short as he can. Peace won’t be permanent, but we’ve avoided a war for now.”

  That reminded me of the other thing I knew I had to bring up. “There’s something Lisanda and I inadvertently discovered in the forest. Three desmarls brought in from Waywen.”

  “Desmarls, are you sure?” Panic clung to his face.

  I nodded and told him everything I could remember.

  He seemed especially interested in the men’s discussion of an alliance, but besides hearing Barad use the word, I knew nothing else about it. When I was done, he slowly nodded his head with absent eyes.

  “Not much can surprise me anymore, but bringing in desmarls…” A mix of anger and disgust came over him. His mouth squeezed tightly, and he made a fist. “They’re absolutely mad.”

  “My king, may we check on Lisanda, and then may I see the Prince of Zav?” I knew it was an abrupt request, but I wanted to be out of the room before Jessend came back.

  His head tilted, waiting for another request. When I didn’t give another, he asked, “And your cure? Have you lost interest?”

  “No, my king. I still want the cure as much as before. I’ve just come to realize there are other things that are more important to me.”

  His eyes became wide with curiosity. “Like Lisanda and Harwin?”

  “Yes…my king,” I remembered to add his title after a breath.

  “Don’t worry about using my title unless it suits you.” He stood, sucking in a breath from the pain. “Yes, you can see Harwin, but I can’t promise I can convince Oleya to let us in to see Lisanda. We can surely try, though.”

  I figured Danvell was being facetious, as his demand could get him into any room if he desired. I humored him with a laugh, and he smiled back. Before approaching the door, though, he turned to the guards. “Fetch Micah Vail and hurry.” One of them ran off.

  I thought of the conversation that would take place between the three of us, and my heart started to race. Then I reminded myself that the King didn’t know that his top adviser had helped me. For some reason, that only made me even more nervous.

  After a knock, Oleya let us in. She was a completely different version of herself, calm and content, smiling even. “Lisanda will recover, but it might take a day. She should rest for a while.”

  Even though I’d already heard she would make it, hearing it again was even sweeter, sending my chest into a flutter of relief. Compelled to take Lisanda’s hand and kiss her forehead, I didn’t realize I was walking toward her unconscious body until Oleya stopped me with a hand to my shoulder.

  “Don’t wake her. Her mind is still twisted. It’s better if she sleeps.”

  “Thank you, Oleya,” Danvell Takary said.

  “My pleasure. I’ll stay with her. You can come back in a few hours.”

  “Come, Jek.” The King motioned with his head, and I followed him out. He sat with a wince. “Micah Vail will bring you to Harwin when he gets here. I’m going to have Oleya look at my wrist.”

  He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m not proud of my actions today, nearly poisoning my ow
n daughter.” He paused to inhale. It was a shaky breath, as if the words had driven the strength out of him. “If I’d had the cure for you, it would’ve been in the bottle. I was so worried for Lisanda, and p…poison…” He shook his head. “I can’t even say the word right. It seemed like the best option. I thought you might hurt her if we told you we didn’t have the cure ready.”

  I searched for anger deep within me and found none.

  “I understand,” I said before realizing that strangely, I really did. He’d been protecting Lisanda the only way he knew how.

  I got the beginning of a smile from him before his lips bent in pain. He adjusted his hand to his lap. “Micah Vail will tell you what we learned about the cure to your darkness.” His eyes narrowed. “That is, as long as you didn’t do anything to Lisanda while she was with you?”

  “I would never hurt her.”

  He studied me for a breath before nodding.

  “My king, I’d like to see Lisanda when she’s ready for visitors.” I tried to sound indifferent, hiding my desperation as best I could. I needed to see her again.

  His eyebrows rose and his squinting eyes judged me harshly. “And why is that?”

  Because I’m going to miss her more than I’d miss the sun after a year of rain. Because everything will hurt worse when she’s not there. Because even the thought of her touch sends warmth through my body. Because I might be in love with her.

  I knew how crazy any of those answers would sound. But what could I say instead? Because we’re friends? Because I just want to and don’t know why? Because I think she’ll want to see me as well? I couldn’t think of anything. My mouth hung open, eagerly waiting for the words to come.

  As if Danvell knew the real reason, the corner of his mouth twisted in disapproval.

  “I see,” he muttered coldly.

  “My king, may I enter?” Micah Vail bowed from the doorway.

  The King stood, as did I. “Of course, come in.”

  “I’m pleased to hear Lisanda will recover.” Micah’s smile turned to me. He followed it with a nod, and I smiled back. He knew that I knew about his relationship with my father. I could feel it.

  “Yes, thank the stars.”