Linkershim sotsi-6

by David A. Wells

  “I’ll be making some changes to your guards. I don’t know why the Sin’Rath have taken an interest in you, but your safety is paramount. This is important, Lacy-trust no man save me. The Sin’Rath can charm almost any man alive. A few, such as myself, are capable of defending against their black magic, but not many. Your staff and guards will be comprised of women from now on. If any man enters this estate, call for help immediately.”

  Lacy nodded, wide-eyed.

  “Did he say anything? Anything at all?”

  “It all happened so fast. I don’t remember him saying anything.”

  “Can you think of any reason why the Sin’Rath are interested in you? Any reason at all?”

  Lacy’s mouth went dry. “No,” she said, looking up for only a moment.

  Phane remained silent but Lacy could feel his stare boring into her. She glanced up again. In that glance, she knew she’d been caught.

  “Princess Lacy, we live in difficult times. Allies are far too rare. Are we allies?”

  She looked up again, nodding tightly. “Yes, Prince Phane. I’m so grateful for all you’ve done for me.”

  “Then why are you hiding something important from me?”

  Lacy just stared at him.

  “I can’t help but notice that an alarming number of very powerful parties have taken an interest in you. I would know why. I give you shelter and protection. At the very least, you can provide me with insight into the enemies I am facing on your behalf.”

  Lacy tried to swallow but her mouth was too dry. She was trapped. Any further attempt at deception would surely fail.

  “I don’t know, Prince Phane,” Lacy said, after working up enough saliva to speak. “I don’t know why so many people are trying to kill me. I wish I did, but I don’t.”

  He took a step forward, anger flashing in his eyes. “Don’t lie to me!”

  She was stunned speechless.

  Phane shook his head and turned away from her, raising his hands and speaking in some long-forgotten language. Several moments after he stopped speaking, he dropped his hands to his sides and sauntered over to her bed, reaching underneath and retrieving her backpack, holding it up for her to see before dumping it out on the bed.

  It felt like slow motion, or a dream where she was trapped in place and couldn’t flee the approaching menace. She wanted to protest, to scream, to shout, to stop him, but she was powerless to do anything but watch.

  The little black box came to rest atop a pile of her clothes and traveling gear.

  Phane picked it up and set it in front of Lacy, taking a seat across from her at the table.

  “Is this what you’re protecting?”

  She nodded.

  “Open it.”

  She shook her head.

  A frown crossed his brow, followed by a warm and genuine smile.

  “Princess, I apologize for yelling at you and for invading your privacy, but you must understand that I have countless people depending on me to protect them. I can’t afford to allow such dangers as this,” he gestured at the box, “into my city without my awareness.”

  Lacy didn’t say anything. Her face felt hot and her heart was racing.

  “What’s in the box?”

  “I don’t know,” Lacy said.

  He nodded, appraising her intently.

  “How did you come by this box?”

  “My father sent me to find it and take it to Ithilian,” Lacy said, feeling both a flutter of relief that she could answer a question truthfully and a thrill of fear that she was revealing too much.

  “I see,” Phane said, a hand covering his mouth, a frown furrowing his brow for a moment before he continued. “Did you retrieve this from your family crypt on Fellenden?”

  “How could you know that?”

  Phane sat back with a wistful look on his face.

  “Lacy, within this box resides the third keystone to the Nether Gate.” He shook his head, his smile turning into laughter. “All this while, salvation for the entire world is right here, safe within my walls.”

  Lacy just looked at the box, shaking her head with a mixture of dismay and revulsion.

  “Oh, Princess, you should rejoice in this,” Phane said. “We now have the power to save your people, but we must hurry. Open the box and we’ll set sail within the week.”

  Lacy looked up at Phane, continuing to shake her head.

  “No. I will never open this box.”

  His smile fell into a look of pure dismay. “But, Lacy, we could save everyone.”

  “What’s in that box won’t save anyone; it will only doom them.”

  “No … it can save us all. I wouldn’t expect you to understand the principles of magic, but one of the most important is to always maintain positive control over your magical manifestations. My father was very careful about that, hence the three keystones. I can promise you, we can control it, we can use it, we can close it, and then we can destroy it forever.”

  She shook her head very deliberately.

  “You can’t be serious, Princess. I saved you. I brought you here where you’re safe, I healed your hand. What more can I do to earn your trust?”

  “It isn’t about that. You’ve been most gracious, but the whole idea of the Nether Gate is beyond insanity. I can’t be a part of bringing that kind of darkness into the world-I won’t.”

  Phane closed his eyes sadly and slowly shook his hanging head.

  “Then I fear a bad end for us all,” he whispered.

  He left, looking dejected, like a scolded puppy, not meeting her eyes again, his entire demeanor a study in sadness.

  Chapter 19

  “Are you allied with the Sin’Rath?” Phane said, barging into Isabel’s library while Enu tried to teach her a spell she didn’t want to learn.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Answer my question!” he shouted, extending his hand toward Isabel and lifting her three feet into the air with his magic, then slamming her against the wall hard enough to knock the wind out of her and rattle her teeth. He held her there against the wall, splayed out and helpless.

  She felt a flutter of fear in her stomach. She’d been pushing Phane over and over, trying to see just how much he would take and what he would do about it. Now, she wasn’t so sure that had been wise. Anger and murder flashed in his eyes as he marched up to her while she struggled to draw a breath.

  “I won’t ask you again.”

  Isabel tried to answer but the pressure holding her against the wall was so great she couldn’t speak. Seeing her soundlessly working her mouth, he released his magic and she fell to the floor, toppling forward onto her hands and knees, gasping for breath. He gave her a few moments before lifting her into the air once again, this time holding her a foot off the floor.

  “Well?”

  “No.”

  “Then explain why one of those infernal demon-spawn witches is lurking in the sewers under my city?”

  “How should I know? Why don’t you go down there and ask her yourself?”

  He released his magic, dropping her by surprise. She stumbled but caught herself before falling again.

  “Ever defiant,” he said, shaking his head and walking away several steps before turning back.

  “Tell me what you know of the Sin’Rath, and I’m warning you, Isabel, I can tell when you lie to me.”

  She glared at him, returning to her chair and regaining her composure before answering.

  “Before I came here to kill you, I helped the House of Karth kill ten of the Sin’Rath. Three escaped-I haven’t seen any of them since.”

  He blinked, frowning momentarily, then smiled so disarmingly that she almost forgot how dangerous he really was.

  “How wonderful,” he said, plopping down in a nearby chair, his anger completely transformed into childlike glee. “I hate the Sin’Rath. I would see them exterminated entirely … yet another piece of common ground between us. Tell me, how did you defeat so many of them? Whatever else they are,
they do not die easily.”

  “The Goiri bone,” Isabel said.

  He nodded thoughtfully. “Well then, I’ll let you get back to your lessons.” With that, he left, whistling to himself.

  “Shall we continue, Lady Reishi?” Wizard Enu asked pointedly just before Wren burst into the room, stopping in her tracks when she saw that Isabel wasn’t alone.

  Isabel rubbed her shoulder and looked at the wizard. “I think I need a break and it’s almost time for lunch.”

  “Very well, I’ll return in an hour.”

  Wren looked at Issa, then back to Isabel.

  “I think we’ll take lunch on the balcony of my room,” Isabel said. As usual, Issa followed until she shut the door in his face.

  Once they were alone, Wren swallowed hard, her eyes going wide and welling up with tears. “I killed someone,” she whispered.

  Isabel led her to a chair and sat her down. “Tell me what happened.”

  Wren described her morning in detail, recalling every event as accurately as she could, starting with her cache of equipment, explaining how she found Druja, followed Captain Erato to Lacy’s quarters, snuck in and killed him. She finished her story by recounting the warning she’d given Lacy about the box.

  Isabel let her talk without interrupting, processing each new piece of information and trying to piece together the puzzle she’d been presented. When Wren finished, Isabel hugged her and then held her at arm’s length with a smile.

  “Well done. Killing is always difficult; it should always be difficult, but sometimes it’s necessary. Today was one of those times. Lacy is at the center of events … saving her life may have saved us all.”

  “I was so scared,” Wren whispered.

  “I know,” Isabel said, hugging her again. “But you acted decisively in spite of your fear. That’s courage.”

  Wren nodded, smiling a little even though tears ran down her face. “What was Druja?” she asked. “She was so hideous.”

  “She’s a very powerful witch spawned from a demon,” Isabel said. “I helped kill most of her sisters before I came here, so she’s going to try to kill me soon. This is important, Wren. She can charm men-make them do whatever she wants them to do, so you can’t trust any man in this city.”

  “I already don’t trust anybody in this city but you.”

  “Good. Just remember that Phane is trying to make me turn to the darkness, so you can’t fully trust me either. I want you to make friends with Lacy. Build a relationship with her. She’s all alone here; she needs a friend and so do you. Just don’t let Phane find out about it. The two of you talking is liable to make him nervous.”

  Wren nodded. “She seemed confused when I told her the truth about Phane. He told her that Abigail was working for him on Fellenden, showed her Abigail and Prince Torin working together against Zuhl.”

  “That bastard can twist just about anything to his own purposes,” Isabel said, shaking her head. “Tell her we know the shade is after her. Tell her that she’s been having dreams of her father telling her to go to Ithilian. Explain that those dreams are really Alexander posing as her father because Torin told him that she’s a terrible liar and he didn’t want to put her in the position of having to lie to Phane.”

  “Do you think she’ll believe me?”

  “I don’t know, but it’ll definitely get her attention and maybe cause her to doubt Phane enough to keep that box shut no matter what lies he tells her.”

  Wren nodded, hesitating for a moment. “Then what? We’re not safe here-none of us are.”

  “I know. I was hoping to have another stab at Phane, but he’s too well protected.” She thought for a moment. “We need to escape, especially now that we know Lacy is here with the keystone. Go to her now, gain her trust, explain everything. I’ll go into the sewers and look for a way out.”

  “But what about Druja? Isn’t she dangerous?”

  “In the extreme, but if she got into the city through the sewers, then we can get out the same way. I just have to find it.”

  There was a knock at the door and Dierdra entered with lunch. Wizard Enu was waiting in the hall.

  “I will await you in the library,” he said. “We must continue your lessons. Prince Phane is becoming impatient with your progress.”

  Isabel snorted. “I’ll bet.”

  Wren caught her eye. She was suddenly afraid.

  “I’ll be down right after I eat,” Isabel said dismissively to Enu.

  “As you wish.”

  “I forgot,” Wren said, after Dierdra and Enu had gone. “Druja told Captain Erato that she wanted to meet Wizard Enu.”

  Isabel looked at the door. “That’s good to know. With the captain dead, Druja will be looking for another proxy.”

  After lunch, Wren left on her errand while Isabel went to the library, entering warily, watching Enu for any hint of danger, but saw none. Still, she remained vigilant, taking the chair closest to the door and watching his every move. For the first time since she arrived, she was actually relieved to have Wraithkin Issa in the room.

  “You seem tense, Lady Reishi. Is something wrong?”

  “You mean besides the fact that I’m being held prisoner by a madman who wants me to learn black magic against my will?”

  Enu smiled mirthlessly, seating himself across the table from her.

  “Your resistance is to be expected, though I assure you, it is only delaying the inevitable. Prince Phane has been working diligently to devise a means of circumventing your defenses. I have every confidence that he will succeed even if I fail.”

  “Doesn’t that make you nervous? Failure, I mean. Phane isn’t known for his forgiving nature.”

  “Were I any other, I would be very concerned, but I happen to be the only wizard other than Prince Phane on this entire isle.”

  “That’s interesting. How did you manage to avoid the Sin’Rath for all these years?”

  “Simple. I arrived from Andalia just last summer. Now, shall we begin?”

  Isabel nodded, mentally steeling herself. She had been resisting in every way she could, but Azugorath was becoming more and more powerful within her mind. It seemed that the exercises Enu was teaching her were designed primarily to help Azugorath learn how to overcome her will.

  At first, her unwanted tutor had focused on teaching her the drain-life spell that Phane wanted her to learn. When that proved futile, he switched to teaching magical principles in an effort to help her comprehend the intricacies of the spell. After a while, it became obvious that she was failing deliberately, so he switched tactics yet again.

  “Close your eyes,” Enu said. “Relax and clear your mind.”

  Isabel had no sooner obeyed his seemingly harmless command than Azugorath thrust into her psyche with all her might, severing Isabel from her will and casting her adrift within her own consciousness. Always before, she’d been able to fight it, struggle against it, but this time she’d been caught completely off guard.

  Her eyes opened, unbidden. She was within her body, could see and hear, feel and smell, but she had no control. Enu stood before her, holding his staff over her head, a faint darkness emanating from it.

  She stood. It was a strange sensation, to feel her body moving without having any control over it.

  “Where’s the girl?” she heard herself ask. Terror gripped her, filling her soul with unbridled panic. Somewhere, she heard laughter, unclean and maleficent.

  “Running errands,” Enu said.

  “You fool! How can I kill her if she isn’t here?”

  Isabel struggled, her rage rising into fury. The laughter grew with it, mocking her, taking malign glee in her helplessness.

  “I will send for her immediately,” Enu said.

  Isabel let go of her emotions, calming herself and willing her mind quiet. The laughter turned nervous, then became taunting and insistent. Isabel ignored it. Instead, she thought of Alexander, seeing his face in her mind and focusing on her love for him.

  Az
ugorath berated her, shrieking within her psyche, daring her to fight, baiting her with images of horror from her own worst nightmares … but Isabel ignored her, choosing to feel only love for her one true love.

  Light started to shine in her mind again, the barrier that was sealing off her connection with the realm of light started to fray, allowing streamers of healing light into her soul. She reveled in it, holding on to her love for Alexander and ignoring the atrocities Azugorath was projecting into her mind.

  And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the attack ended. The Wraith Queen retreated into the depths of her subconscious mind and the barrier blocking her link with the light slammed firmly into place again. Isabel slumped to her hands and knees, breathing hard, trying to understand what had just happened.

  Enu returned. “The watch has been alerted. The girl will be brought as soon as she’s found.”

  Isabel stood, scooping up a lamp in one fluid motion and hurled it at him. It shattered against his shield, spreading burning oil over it in an instant. He muttered a single word, then hit the floor with his staff and a sudden gust of wind spread away from him in all directions, extinguishing the fire in a whoosh.

  “I see you’ve returned, Lady Reishi. No matter, we’ve made progress worth reporting to Prince Phane. I shall leave you to contemplate your fate.”

  Once he’d left, Isabel sat down heavily, her mind racing, trying to find a way out of the trap that was rapidly closing around her. She replayed the experience in her mind and found that she’d been suddenly separated from her will. In that moment, no doubt caused by Enu’s spell, Azugorath had gained control.

  But there was more. When Isabel fought against her with rage, her grip had only tightened. Yet, when she fought with love, the Wraith Queen had struggled to hold on, until the light began to shine through and then her grip had faltered completely. Isabel played the experience over and over in her mind, searching for some lesson she could use to fight the darkness and finding only one … love.