by Kyra Halland
No! Lainie pushed back against the Sh’kimech’s voices to keep them from overwhelming her own thoughts and desires. I have something I want you to do for me. There’s a man I want you to help me destroy.
One and then another and then all of them, they clamored at her.
No! They were so eager for destruction; it was too dangerous to invite them in like this… I don’t want you to destroy all of them. But if you promise to obey me, I’ll let you help me destroy this one. She put every shred of her will behind the words, making it clear to the Sh’kimech – and to herself – who was boss.
Sister, they replied. If it means destroying even a small part of the infestation, we will do as you ask.
She had their promise; they acknowledged her authority. As if she were taking a deep breath with both her body and her mind, she drew the Sh’kimech into herself. Ice shocked through her veins as the Sh’kimech’s mindsoul poured into her. Freezing pain crushed her lungs and heart and twisted through her belly and loins. A dark veil of malice covered her mind, filling her with horror and despair.
Enough! she cried out while she could still think for herself. She slammed down on the power flowing into her, cutting it off, and snatched her hands up off the ground. Remember, you have to obey me if you want to destroy this man. And when we’re done, you have to go back where you belong.
Yes, Sister. We promise. Take us to the foulness, and we will destroy it together.
Weighed down by the power she had taken in and trembling with its force, Lainie staggered to her feet. With her own rose-colored magic, she suppressed the Sh’kimech power, tamping it down until it was a hard, dark, cold knot deep inside of her. It wouldn’t do for Fazar to notice it before she was ready to make her move. He was fast, he was powerful, he was smart, and he saw much more than she and Silas had guessed. Her only advantages were surprise and the Sh’kimech.
And the fact that Fazar wanted something from her.
With a rough plan in mind and a prayer to the Defender and the Avenger, Lainie climbed down the steep hillside and crossed the bottom of the ravine. Fazar saw her approach and stood up. His shield was up again. He chuckled. “So you’ve finally seen sense, baby girl.”
Lainie bit back her angry retort. If she was going to pull this off, she couldn’t let him get to her. She looked at Silas where he lay sprawled on his stomach, his hands and feet still bound. His back rose and fell almost imperceptibly with his breathing. She couldn’t tell if he was conscious or not, but at least he was alive. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking,” she said.
“I knew I could convince you to see reason. So, how about it, baby girl?”
She forced herself to speak calmly despite the rapid thudding of her heart and the sick nervousness in her stomach. “You want me to be part of this experiment, breeding mages with Wildings and Granadaian power, right?”
“That’s right.” Fazar grinned his wild animal grin at her.
“What’s in it for me?”
“Aside from the fact that I’ll let you keep on living? Well, I’m from an old and powerful mage family. You’ll be part of that. You’ll be at the very top of Granadaian society. The queen of Granadaia herself will be at your feet.”
“Huh. She’s Plain, isn’t she?” Lainie put as much contempt as she could muster into her voice. In her history lessons at the Bitterbush Springs Town School, she had learned that when the Island mages came to Granadaia, they hadn’t bothered to overthrow Granadaia’s Plain rulers; they had just raised themselves and the native Granadaian mages up to be more powerful than the nobility. “I don’t care about that. What I want to know is, is your family rich?”
“Richer than you ever dreamed of.”
“I can have a feather bed and fancy dresses and jewelry and all the fine food I want?”
“Nothing but the best for you, baby girl.”
“And I won’t have to work all day? I’ll have people to cook and clean and sew for me?”
“You won’t have to lift a finger.”
“Good. ’Cause I hate cooking.” If Silas was awake and listening, she hoped that would let him know that everything she was saying to Fazar right now was a lie. She didn’t want him to think she meant any of this, and especially not what she was going to say next. “And you’ll give me the babies that he can’t give me?” She jerked her head towards Silas. Even though she didn’t mean it, guilt stabbed at her for saying something so disloyal, along with a pang of sorrow at the reminder that she and Silas might never be able to have children.
Fazar’s grin got even wider. “That, Miss Lainie, is the whole point.”
“And it don’t matter that I’m already married to another man in the eyes of the gods and the law?”
Fazar laughed. “The gods and the law? What we’re talking about is much bigger than that. Worrying about gods and law is for small people, with small minds and small ambitions. You aren’t going to let stupid things like that hold you back, are you?”
She let some of her own power flow into her right hand, where a rose-colored glow began to dance. “You’re right. I don’t have to let anything hold me back from what I want.”
Fazar’s eyes gleamed in the magical light. “That’s a very pretty display. You’re powerful, that’s for sure. You and me together, and our children, nothing and no one will be stronger than us, not even –” His eyes darted to the side, and he licked his lips. “No one,” he finished.
Lainie wondered what he had been about to say before he stopped himself. The Mage Council? Wouldn’t that be treason, to want to be stronger than the Mage Council? “That’s a mighty fancy offer,” she said. “Don’t know how a girl can say no to that.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say once you had a chance to think it over. And anyhow, there’s no need to worry about Vendine. I’ll finish him off right away, then you and I can get down to business.”
It was time. She could feel the Sh’kimech inside her, restless and eager for Fazar’s destruction. She forced herself to smile at Fazar, and held out her right hand to him. “Yeah. Let’s get down to business.” Let’s get down to business, she repeated in her mind to the Sh’kimech.
Fazar took her hand. “This is the start of something big, girl. You’re lucky to be part of it.”
“I sure am.”
Lainie released her tight hold on the Sh’kimech and slammed outward with them and her own power against Fazar’s shield. He stumbled back under the force of the attack, but she kept a tight grip on his hand so that he wouldn’t slip free. “What are you doing?” he shouted.
She went on pushing against the shield. It crumbled, and his power faltered and gave way beneath the onslaught of her and the Sh’kimech’s combined magic. She could feel Fazar fighting back, struggling to restore the shield, but the sudden assault had put him at a disadvantage and he couldn’t gather and focus his power again.
“Damn it, girl, you said –”
“I never did say yes. What you’re offering me, I don’t need and I don’t want.”
“You can’t turn me down!” he shrieked. “No woman’s ever had what I’m offering you – who do you think you are, turning me down?”
“Who do I think I am? I’m Lainie Banfrey, born and bred in the Wildings, kin to the Sh’kimech and the A’ayimat, and the loving, faithful wife of Silas Vendine. That’s who I am, and don’t you forget it.”
Relentlessly, she kept up the pressure, driving his power back inside him with the Sh’kimech and her own magic. Fazar flinched as the cold agony of the Sh’kimech’s presence invaded his mind and body. “That power!” he cried. “They told me about it, I tried to reach it but I couldn’t –!”
Still she bore down against him. He fought back furiously, but with the Sh’kimech adding their strength to hers, she was stronger than him. Her heart sang and her mind spun with the delicious sensation of being so powerful. Nothing and no one could get the better of her. Just for now, she reminded herself. Just to beat Fazar, no more than that.
&
nbsp; She pushed harder, putting all her own will and power behind the Sh’kimech, driving them deeper into Fazar, bearing down against the green light of his magic. If she could push it down far enough that he couldn’t use it, she would be able to shoot him without him shielding or attacking her.
Almost there; the green light grew smaller and dimmer.
And then it went out, smothered beneath the weight of Lainie’s power and the Sh’kimech’s mindsoul. At the same instant, the surrounding aura of Fazar’s life force flickered out.
Lainie’s power and the Sh’kimech mindsoul snapped back into her. She staggered beneath the impact and the sudden drag of Fazar’s body as it crumpled to the ground. She let go of his hand and fell to her knees. She shook with the Sh’kimech’s cold strength and with the desire for more power, with the need to destroy again and again… Through the veil that darkened her vision, she looked at Silas where he lay on the ground nearby. Infestation, foulness, contamination, the voices within her cried. Eradicate the infestation and cleanse our world!
No! I don’t want to destroy him – he’s mine!
They contaminate our world and disturb our sleep, crawling about, spreading their foulness. You will be our hands to rid our world of them.
Under the force of the Sh’kimech’s desire, her arms began to lift, ready to work the magic that would obliterate this cave and the man lying helpless within it. With a tremendous effort of will, Lainie forced them back down and trapped her hands between her knees. Go back! she cried. You promised!
It’s easy to promise, the Sh’kimech answered. But we want what we want. That is the only truth.
She slammed her hands flat against the ground. Go back! she commanded the Sh’kimech. With all the strength remaining to her, she began pushing them down into the earth. I won’t be your servant!
The Sh’kimech fought back, clinging to her with cold, scrabbling, clutching tendrils. We can make you more powerful than anything else! Our strength will be yours. Everything under the light will be in your power! We’ll even let you keep that man and any other of the light-dwelling creatures you desire. You and they will live safe with us and never perish.
Something in her heart caught at their words. She and Silas and her Pa, her pets and her horse, safe; no more sorrow, no more fear, no more losses, together forever…
In the dark.
There were some things worse than death. Those who died could always try to find their loved ones in the Afterworld. Even if they couldn’t always be in the same heavens or hells together, it was far better than being trapped forever in the dark.
No, she answered firmly, setting aside the brief longing that had seized her. What you’re offering me, I don’t need or want. You helped me, like you said you would, and I kept my promise to you. Now go back where you belong, and go to sleep.
Using the last shreds of her own power, she drove them down, deep down, through the darkening layers of magic in the earth. They fought and clung and argued, but she refused to waver. Finally, given no other choice by her implacable will, they surrendered. As you wish, Sister. But our offer yet remains, and our power is yours whenever you desire it.
They drained out of her back into the ground. With the last remaining flicker of rose-colored magic, she commanded them to sleep, and they fell still.
Chapter 12
LAINIE SAT BACK, aware only of her exhaustion and the enormous, aching emptiness inside of her where her power had been. She had felt this emptiness before, and its overwhelming demand to be filled. She looked at Silas, and the hunger focused into a single, all-consuming desire.
Driven by desperate need, she crawled over to him and pushed him onto his back. Her hands fumbled at the gag, then ripped it away. She leaned over and kissed him as though trying to devour him. Frantically, she tore at their clothing until enough of it was out of the way to accommodate her needs, then she straddled him, filling herself with him and with the strong, sweet energy generated by pleasure and desire. As the delicious sensations grew, the rose-colored light that was her power came back to life, swelling stronger and brighter. Finally, when she couldn’t contain any more light and sensation, her body convulsed in pleasure and the rose-colored glow exploded into a thousand brilliant stars.
Slowly, the intense feelings faded away, leaving her utterly exhausted and content. She collapsed forward onto Silas’s chest and lay there, listening to his heartbeat and feeling the movement of his breathing. He was alive and they were together. She had saved him.
After some hazy length of time had passed, he shifted beneath her. “If you’re done there, darlin’, would you mind untying me?”
Lainie bolted upright, startled back to her senses.
“I mean,” he went on, “if you like it that way, with me tied up, that’s fine, but I can’t feel my arms.”
Her face flamed. Suddenly horrified at her carelessness, she scrambled off of him and pulled their clothing back into place. With a grunt at the effort, he rolled over, his back to her so she could get at the ropes around his wrists. The knife Fazar had been toying with lay nearby; Lainie picked it up and cut the ropes at Silas’s hands and feet.
Groaning, Silas sat up and began carefully flexing his arms and rotating his shoulders. “Normally, tying me up would cost you extra, Miss Lainie,” he said, “but this time it’s on the house.”
Tears flooded Lainie’s eyes even as she laughed, and she threw her arms around him. “I was so scared,” she wept.
He held her close. “I’ll confess, I had a few uneasy moments there, too, darlin’.”
“I smelled smoke, and I remembered what he said about roasting you –”
“Smoke!” Silas pushed Lainie aside and scrambled on his hands and knees over to the back wall of the shallow cave. A large knapsack and a number of other items lay on the floor there. Silas dug through the items and came up with a small, rectangular silver box. “Still warm.” He fumbled the box open and ran a finger around the inside. It came up gray with soot. “He got a message off. It must have been while I was knocked out. We’ll have to assume he told the Mage Council everything.”
Lainie stared, stunned, at the little box. Things were getting worse and worse. She couldn’t believe she had made such a mess of things. Appalled and ashamed, she buried her face against her knees. “I’m sorry.” The lump swelling in her throat nearly choked off the words. “I should have killed him – I can’t believe I missed; I let him make me mad. I was so stupid, I should have known it was him all along –”
“Lainie, darlin’ –”
“It’s all my fault,” she wept. “I wouldn’t go to school, and my Pa made you marry me, and now you’re stuck with me –”
“Lainie. Look at me.”
His voice was so firm but so kind she couldn’t help but look at him. He was sitting across the cave from her, against the back wall. Blue light danced in his left hand; the magical light flickered across his face and filled the cave. “I’m a mage, Lainie,” he said. “I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do. I could have sent for someone to come and take you back to Granadaia if I didn’t want to deal with you myself. I didn’t have to hang around Bitterbush Springs, worrying about if you would be okay and trying to think of another way.” The light in his hand spiraled and flared. “And do you really think your Pa could have forced me to do anything I didn’t want to do?”
“I…” Entranced, she watched the mage light in his hand, her tears forgotten. Sometimes she forgot exactly who and what he was. And sometimes, when she did remember, it still frightened her, even after nearly two months together. “No, I guess not.” Her voice shook, and she gulped back more tears. “Why did you do it, then? Saddle yourself with me and put yourself on the wrong side of the law?”
“I don’t care about the law,” he said. “I wanted to do what was right. I wouldn’t have turned you over to the schools in Granadaia, to be chewed up and spit out or warped and twisted into something you didn’t want to be. And I wouldn’t have dis
honored you in your father’s eyes by taking you away with me unmarried.”
“So you married me because you thought it was what you should do?” That didn’t really make her feel any better. He might not have been forced to marry her against his will, but she also didn’t want it to only have been out of a sense of obligation.
“Why do you think those things mattered so much to me? I love you.”
He had said it many times before, but, like all those other times, she was a little afraid to let herself believe him. “Why?”
He laughed a little. “Too many questions, darlin’. I’m starting to run out of answers. Why do I love you? Because… Because. I can’t not love you, that’s why.”
He said it with such sincerity, as though it was the most important thing he would ever say, that it was impossible not to believe him. She met his eyes, and they looked at each other for a long moment through the flickering blue light. Carefully, feeling raw and vulnerable before him but knowing she had to take the risk, to give him this in exchange for what he had given her, she said, “That’s why I love you, too.”
He came to her in a single long stride, and knelt and pulled her into his arms. “Oh, darlin’. This business between the Hidden Council and the Mage Council, none of it’s your doing. I’m the one who should be saying I’m sorry for dragging you into it. I’d be in trouble with or without you.” He drew back to look her full in the face. “But without you, I’d be dead now. Don’t you forget that.”
He was right. She had saved him. Maybe she could have stopped Fazar sooner, but she hadn’t brought Fazar down on him in the first place. “I heard what he was sayin’ to you, about the breeding project and the people he was working for. You still think it’s the Mage Council that sent him after you?”
“Them, or a faction of the Mage Council. If powerful and influential mages are involved, the Mage Council is sure to have something to do with it, one way or another.”
