“No,” said Iskar. “I’m… I’m sorry, but I can’t risk that. If the authorities know about my mother and her clutch… there is no taking that knowledge back. I can’t be certain that they won’t see the return of dragonkind as a threat to be eliminated. Or a weapon to be used.”
Kadka could understand that, but Carver was right too. “Is not fight we can take alone. Who else?”
“There are agents I trust in the Silver Dawn,” said Iskar. “They will come if I ask.”
Carver raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t they all, you know, non-violent?”
“Some more than others,” Iskar said. “There are… loopholes that are sometimes indulged. Ways to fight without killing. A practicality I have never approved of, but one that some of my agents are very skilled at. You have met Vladak.”
“Is man I like on my side,” Kadka said with a nod.
“Alright, but most of your members aren’t mages,” said Carver. “Thorpe will have magecraft on her side, and I don’t think going for the kneecaps instead of the throat is going to be enough. We need magic, artifacts, equipment.”
And then an idea jumped into Kadka’s head, and a grin stretched across her face. “We know someone with all these things,” she said. “And he has many ‘friends’.”
Chapter Twenty
_____
“WHERE IS HE?” Tane crouched in the dark behind a hill not far from Brokepick Quarry. He’d chosen a meeting spot far enough from the quarry itself to be outside the radius of any detection spells that Thorpe or her security might have cast, but he still didn’t like waiting there for long. The rain had finally ceased, but it was still cold and wet. And more importantly, there were too many of them to avoid notice forever, even on a moonless night like this one.
Besides Tane, Kadka, and Tinga, Iskar had brought together a half-dozen of his most trusted Silver Dawn agents. The big orc Vladak and the kobold Seskis were the only ones Tane recognized personally—both of whom Kadka was very friendly with now, considering they’d once all but kidnapped her. She turned away from a whispered conversation with the two of them and Iskar to look at Tane.
“Will be here.” She grinned. “Is very loyal, for criminal.”
“That I am, that I am!” a boisterous, high-pitched voice exclaimed. A little sprite in an emerald green masquerade mask rounded the hill, leading a force of perhaps a dozen—goblins and humans and dwarves and more. “My friends! You call, and I answer! I am at your command!”
“Well the first one is try to be quiet,” Tane said in a low voice. “But thank you for coming, Bastian.”
Bastian Dewglen bobbed his head enthusiastically. “Of course!” he said, in what might have been a slightly quieter tone than before. “Think nothing of it! I have only the highest regard for your judgement, Mister Carver, and I would do anything for my dearest Kadka!” He beamed broadly at her, there. “If you say you need my help, well, it must be of vital importance!”
“Here’s hoping we don’t have to ask for something like this again any time soon,” said Tane. He wasn’t much looking forward to what came next.
“Ah, but never doubt that I would answer the call!” Bastian fluttered in closer. “But let us not think of such things! There are friendships to be forged! I have not yet been introduced to the illustrious leader of the Silver Dawn. Or to this lovely young lady, who must be the one you’ve been looking for.” He turned his broad smile on Tinga, who returned it with slight bemusement.
“Right,” Tane said. “Bastian Dewglen, Iskar Estiss and Tinga Vreeg. Everyone, this is Bastian.”
“Mister Dewglen, I must thank you for your aid,” Iskar said solemnly. “I promise you, I will not forget it.”
“My pleasure, my pleasure!” Bastian enthused, waving a dismissive hand. “I have an interest here too, you know. Irresponsible artifice makes everyone in my trade look bad.”
“Er, don’t you work in the black market?” Tinga raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have thought responsibility would be your top priority.”
Bastian laid a hand on his chest in a theatrical show of affront. “My dear Tinga, I promise you, I take greater pride in my work than any legal artificer you are likely to meet! I do the work I do only because I believe that every citizen should have access to the benefits of artifice! Not only the wealthy!”
Tane snorted at that. I’m sure the profit has nothing to do with it. “I hate to interrupt the conversation,” he said, “but if we wait here much longer, we’re going to lose the element of surprise. Did you bring the artifacts?”
“I wouldn’t dream of arriving without gifts!” Bastian beckoned to his men, and two of them unslung packs from their shoulders. From within, they produced a number of ancryst pistols, wands, charms, and more. “And of course, a number of my friends are adept at magecraft, as requested.”
Iskar’s agents and Bastian’s ‘friends’ quickly set to outfitting themselves with whatever weapons and tools they were comfortable with. Tane, for his part, helped himself to a daze wand and his usual collection of charms.
He was tucking the wand into his waistband when he heard Indree’s voice. “I’m glad you’re skipping the pistol.” Tane turned to see her standing behind him; she’d come from the same direction Bastian had.
“I’d be about as likely to hit one of us as one of them,” he said, and forced a smile he didn’t feel. Some of us are about to get hurt anyway, one way or another. He preferred to avoid direct violence; knowingly walking into a fight like this was far outside his comfort zone.
Indree wasn’t in uniform, just her charcoal topcoat, but just about everyone there knew who she was even so. The low whisper of preparatory chatter ceased, and several of Bastian’s men tried—despite the obvious futility of the gesture—to hide their weapons behind their backs.
“What is this?” Tinga demanded, taking several steps away from Indree to half-hide behind Iskar. “I saw her at that man’s house. She’s a bluecap! You promised you weren’t going to tell them!”
“I’m not breaking that promise,” Tane said. “I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, but I understand why you need to do this yourself. I’ve been in that place too.”
“The thing with the University?” Tinga asked uncertainly. “I… I know a little about it.”
“Some people I love got hurt, and I needed to try to answer it somehow. I wouldn’t have let anyone stop me either. But Indree isn’t here for the bluecaps. I asked her to come because I trust her, and she’s a combat-trained mage. We need that on our side. She’s here to help. No one’s taking you back home, Tinga.”
“Fine. I… I believe you. For now.” Tinga stepped out from behind Iskar again, keeping a wary eye on Indree, and crossed her arms. “But she’d better not try anything.”
Iskar, though, still looked troubled. “We talked about this, Mister Carver. No authorities. I mean no offense, but Miss Lovial has the ear of the Lady Protector—I think that qualifies as an authority.”
Tane shook his head. “I’m telling you, she won’t—”
At the same time, Kadka came to Indree’s defense. “Is not like this, Iskar. Indree is—”
“It’s fine, you two,” Indree said. “I can speak for myself.” She stepped past Tane to address Iskar directly. “You have good reason to be cautious, Iskar. There are some at the Yard who… haven’t been very helpful to you and yours. If you need me to leave, I will. But I became a constable to help the people who need it, and sometimes that means breaking the rules a little bit. You don’t get to know Tane long without coming to terms with that.” She glanced at Tane with a slight smile, and then back to Iskar. “I swear to you, whether I stay or go, not a word of this will reach Stooketon Yard. Or Lady Abena.”
For a long moment, Iskar studied her without answer. And then he nodded, once. “I believe… I believe I can trust you, Miss Lovial. You have proven yourself an ally in the past.”
“Splendid!” Bastian interjected the moment Iskar was done. “The matter is resol
ved, then! I haven’t had the pleasure, Inspector Lovial, and I must admit I am usually wary of those who wear the blue, but I have heard nothing but good things. If these fine people vouch for you, that is good enough for me!” He fluttered over to hover directly in front of Indree’s face, sticking out his hand. “I am always delighted to meet new friends! Bastian Dewglen, at your service!”
Indree reached up to take Bastian’s little hand between her thumb and forefinger. “I’ve heard a lot about you, believe me.”
“Ah, Mister Carver! You have loose lips!” Bastian waggled a finger at Tane, but his broad smile didn’t waver.
Tane shrugged. “I’ve found that not telling Indree things rarely pays off. But right now we’ve got more important things to worry about than my loose lips, and not much time. If everyone’s equipped, let’s get to business.”
“Itsh about time,” said Vladak. The daze-wand he’d picked up looked like a child’s toy in his huge orcish fist. “Whatsh thish all about?”
“It’s about rescuing a dragon,” said Tane.
A flurry of whispered questions there, and an enthusiastic “Oh, how exciting!” from Bastian.
Iskar quieted them with a raised hand. “I am sorry for those of you who don’t already know the full story, but there is little time now. Suffice it to say, there is a dragon underneath the quarry just beyond these hills. She is… very dear to me. If she and her eggs do not survive, dragonkind may die with them.”
“That’s where we come in,” said Tane. “Felisa Thorpe of Thorpe Manufacturies owns the quarry, and knows about the lair beneath. Her intentions for it are not good. We need to stop her.” He’d been working on a plan—it was rough, but it was the best he could do on short notice. “She’s taken homeless people from around the city, and she’s built a machine that can siphon off their Astral link. She means to drain them as a power source to go after a much greater one—the dragon. Our priority is to get into the tunnel at the bottom of the quarry and stop that machine before she does that.
“We’re going to approach head on—we don’t have time for anything else. There will be a lot of people trying to keep us out. Watch out for the ones with silver eyes. Thorpe’s dosed them with an elixir of Astral essence. They’re too strong and fast to beat in a straight fight, but put them under enough stress and their own power burns them out. I’ve got an idea how we can do that.” He turned to Tinga. “Tinga, we’re going to need you front and center. They’re already scared of you.”
Indree looked at Tinga, frowning. “Tane, she’s a child. Are you sure about this?”
Tinga scowled fiercely back at her. “I already told you, I’m not going anywhere. My friend is in there!”
“I know that,” said Indree, “but I don’t think—”
“Give us a moment,” Tane cut in, and put a hand on Indree’s elbow to draw her aside. When they were out of earshot, he said in a low voice, “Ree, everyone’s already nervous about having a bluecap around—if you keep acting like one, it’s only going to make that worse. I know you’re just trying to keep her out of danger, but the plan only works with Tinga’s help. And she needs to do this. Believe me, I know.”
“How do you know?” Indree didn’t argue, just looked at him intently, as if she’d been waiting for him to say something like that. “Explain it to me, Tane. You keep talking about how you know what this girl is going through, but you never really talk about what you went through back then. I want to understand.”
Tane didn’t much like talking about those years, but maybe she deserved an explanation. “I told you before, I’ve been there. She… she sees something wrong in the world, and it seems like everyone who matters is ignoring it. It feels like there’s no one on her side, which means she can’t trust anyone but herself to fix it. She doesn’t need to be safe right now, she needs to do something. To feel like there’s something she can do. Because if terrible things just happen and she’s helpless to stop them, why keep trying at all? If she just sits by, she’s giving up, and not just on this one thing.” He swallowed against the thickness growing in his throat. “I felt the same way, after… after the accident. Except I was helpless, where it mattered. Nothing I did was going to bring my parents back, but Tinga might still be able to help her friend. And if we work with her instead of trying to keep her out, maybe she’ll understand she doesn’t have to do it alone. That’s a lesson I wish I’d learned sooner.”
Indree was quiet a moment, and then, “You thought you were alone? Is that why you felt like you had to leave, back then?”
Tane shrugged, tried to blink back the wetness in his eyes without her seeing. “You spend enough time relying on yourself, you… you start to think that’s how it’s supposed to be.”
She took his hand in hers. “But you know you were wrong, don’t you? I’ll always be on your side. I just need you to let me be. After everything with Allaea, and Endo… A lot has changed these last few months, and you’re not talking to me. That… that makes me nervous. When you disappeared before, I didn’t see it coming. I can’t do that again.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Indree. I promise.” Tane gave her a shaky smile. “I called you in this time, didn’t I?”
“I’m not saying you haven’t gotten better. I’m just asking you to be honest with me. Tell me what’s going on in your head sometimes.” She brushed her thumb over his cheek, wiping away an escaped tear. “You don’t have to hide things like this from me.”
Despite everything, Tane had to laugh. “You know, that’s exactly what Kadka said.”
Indree raised an eyebrow. “You talked to her about this?”
“More like she talked to me about it. But yes.”
“Well, you should listen to her more often.” A small smile played across Indree’s mouth. “She’s smarter than you are.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” said Tane. “I suppose I’m still getting used to having people around who care.”
“Get used to it faster,” Indree said. “Because we’re not going anywhere either.” And then she wrapped her hand behind his neck, and pressed her lips against his.
Tane’s hands found her waist, and he pulled her against him, returning the kiss. It felt like some barrier between them had finally fallen away. Who knew honesty could work so well?
Finally, Indree pulled back. “You aren’t alone anymore, Tane. And Tinga’s not going to be either. Come on.” She turned, and led him by the hand back toward the others.
Kadka grinned as they drew near. “Had fun, I hope,” she said, raising one bushy eyebrow suggestively.
“We worked some things out,” Indree said, and then looked to Tinga. “Tinga, I’m sorry. I’m not going to stop you from doing this. We’re in it together. Just… stay close.”
Tinga examined her a moment, and then nodded. “I can manage that.”
“Alright then,” said Tane. “Here’s how we’re going to do this.”
Chapter Twenty-one
_____
“THEY’RE GOING TO know we’re coming,” said Tane. “She’ll have detections up now that she has us to worry about, and we’ll already have triggered them, but they don’t know what we have planned. As soon as we’re in sight, we need to act. Mages, be ready.”
The curving road between tree-lined hills had been left sodden and muddy from the recent rains, and deep grooves cut by cart-wheels over the years brimmed with dirty water. A short distance back, by Tane’s best guess, they’d crossed the outside threshold of whatever detections Thorpe might have cast, none of which could have failed to pick up a group more than twenty strong drawing near. Their only hope of maintaining any sort of surprise was moving very quickly now—the quarry itself was just around the next hill.
Which meant it was time to put his plan to the test.
“Who’s there?” A gruff voice Tane recognized as the ogren who’d menaced him earlier.
Tane didn’t answer, and kept his voice to a whisper. “You all know where to be. Tinga, get up f
ront. But stay close.”
“I know,” Tinga said. “Don’t worry. I can do this.” Her voice shook just a bit—she was more nervous than she let on—but she took the lead without hesitation.
The others moved into position, then. They didn’t have long left. Iskar followed just behind Tinga, with Kadka and Vladak flanking them on either side, ready to step in if needed. Indree, Bastian, and the other mages—two gnomish men and a goblin woman—crept into the shadow of the trees along the hillside to remain out of sight. The rest of the Silver Dawn agents and Bastian’s “friends” drew their weapons and wands and kept to the road, ready to back up Tinga and Iskar. Tane stayed at the center of that group—he wasn’t going to be terribly useful in the fight, but he could help coordinate.
They rounded the hill, and Tane saw the silhouettes of the guards against the blue magelight spilling from the broad cleft of the quarry. The nine-foot shadow of the ogren man towered above the rest, and there were perhaps two dozen others with him, blocking the mouth of the passage down. At least half had clearly been dozed with Thorpe’s elixir—their eyes glowed that now-familiar silver against the dark.
Astra, this had better work.
“Who is that?” The ogren guard again. “You’d better turn around, if you know what’s good for you!”
This time, Tinga answered. “You’re going to pay for what you did to my friend!” She squared her shoulders, strode purposefully toward the quarry. Thrust one hand forward, palm out.
Silver fire flared between her outstretched fingers.
Or rather, the image of silver fire. Hidden in the trees, the mages worked their illusions, summoning false flames that spread from Tinga’s palm and up her arm, growing brighter as they wreathed her body. Trails of silver lit the night behind her, and smoldering footprints marked the path she’d walked. With just a few flashy spells, a goblin girl scarcely over five feet tall became a living avatar of Astral flame.
The Dragon Machine (Magebreakers Book 3) Page 15
