The lifetime lasted a mere heartbeat before another mind tore through hers in an explosion of power. It wiped away all traces of the insidious voice urging her to kill the War Mage.
Let him go. Let him live.
The voice rasped through her mind, rough as sandpaper. It was the voice of Balgeras, the guardian god of House Solidor. In an electric instant, Balgeras' power jumped to Vander, yet she could still feel it, hear it.
You have a second chance, cubling. Don't mess it up.
Kalla jerked her hand away as Vander's body began shifting. In a moment a man no longer knelt before her, but a great frost wolf lay hunched on the ground, eyes closed. His body heaved as he struggled to draw in breath, flame-colored sides rising and falling. Even in this form, there was a certain gauntness to his frame, though frost wolves were normally stocky, and still he had his long tail of hair, now draped across a back disturbingly laced with uneven scars. One paw scrabbled weakly at the floor, then went still.
He is your responsibility now. My last act. You must tell them- Grosso has broken the tenets. House Solidor has no guardian. The breach must be repaired.
Trust in yourself, Mother of Wolves, believe in yourself. A cheshire grin, unseen. We shall see you soon enough. Until then…
With these cryptic words, the presence disappeared. Kalla drew in a breath of her own, horrified that she had been willing to cold-bloodedly murder someone with her gift, much less drag out the suffering. Grief overwhelmed her. From the shared visions, the Healer had learned more of Dashmari society, and of the War Mage himself, than ever she might have. More than that, she understood how badly she'd hurt him. While she'd been correct in thinking he'd sought her out for her power, the reasons had been all wrong. He'd been willing to relinquish his own power to her, an omega wolf submitting to an alpha in return for protection and acceptance.
The Dashmari didn't just pattern their society after the frost wolves. There was more than a bit of truth in the legends that they were descended from the wolf god Kituk. They were frost wolves, given a human form. In a frost wolf pack, Kalla knew, such an odd cub would have been killed outright, and it was so with the Dashmari themselves as well. If, for some reason, the cub survived, their only hope was to attach themselves to a stronger wolf, in the hopes of protection. He had sought her out for that reason, somehow instinctively knowing that part of her soul was frost wolf, even if she hadn't realized it herself. She hadn't know that until she'd seen the Fox King's visions and sought to understand them. He'd recognized a kindred spirit and an alpha at that.
From his memories, too, she realized that the unwanted cub would have been happy with whatever snippets of affection she'd have cared to give, that an unwavering loyalty would have rewarded her mere condescension to accept him. That loyalty had been given to Grosso instead, the only one who had given him the attention and protection he'd craved, no matter how indifferent or impassive. And from Grosso, who must have been serving the Nagali for years, he became infected with Al'dhumarna's taint. It had consumed him, eating away at his heart and soul. She knew now that the Nagali had ordered him to 'dispose of the troublesome mage and her little fox.' He hadn't wanted to, for deep down he still cared for her and sought her approval and acceptance, but the Nagali had a stranglehold on his mind. What he'd done and been a part of had nearly destroyed him. When Grosso had freed him, he'd been half-mad and easy prey for more of the Nagali's evil suggestions.
How much different might his life have been if she'd actually bothered to befriend him as a child rather than merely defending him on occasion. She also knew that Grosso had freed him as a diversion. If he managed to kill Kalla and Aleister, well and good, but it had never been intended that he survive. As the voice had said, he was no longer useful.
A final thought- why me?- buzzed through her mind before she relinquished to the darkness seeking to engulf her, falling across the unconscious frost wolf.
Aleister danced back as the mace came swinging forward again. As before, Shingar was extremely blunt and straightforward. Armoured as he was, the huge magister was well-protected against most weapons. Using the swords would require that Aleister get close enough to the hulking behemoth to slip one between the plates of armour.
Aleister staggered as the mace slammed into a hastily conjured shield. He'd done his best to avoid Shingar's weapon for as long as he could. He remembered all too well what had happened last time. The shield held and for that he was grateful, but for how long? He ducked another blow and backed away.
From across the courtyard, he heard Kalla taunting the War Mage. Shortly after he felt her shields collapse. The magister panicked, torn between keeping Shingar occupied and helping Kalla. Not that Shingar would matter if she died. The big magister lunged forward again, but stumbled, disoriented. Aleister risked a glance to Kalla and found her on the ground, Vander kneeling before her. Taking advantage of Shingar's inattention, the Sky Fox darted closer. Shingar aimed a clumsy blow at him, but Aleister avoided it easily.
Before the Magister could bring the mace back around, Aleister darted in closer. He plunged one of the slender swords into opening below the armpit, one of the few vulnerable places in the spiky armor. The blade struck true, sliding between the ribs. Shingar crumpled as Aleister backed away. Another glance over to his mage, and he forgot about Shingar in his haste to get to Kalla. The War Mage was gone. In his place lay a great frost wolf, fur the color of summer sunset. Ropes of thin, white-furred scars laced his chest and back. The Healer had collapsed on top of the wolf, but she was still breathing. Even as Aleister reached her, those beyond the warding broke through and, in a flurry of activity, they were quickly surrounded.
Twice the Trouble
Cryshal Kanlon, 10000 ft. above Evalyce, Year of the Mythril Serpent, 2014 CE
Vander slowly came awake and, upon waking, wished he hadn't. He hurt, great Balgeras, how he hurt. His very lungs seemed bruised and sore. Vander blinked gritty eyes. The room slid into focus, an expanse of smooth grey stone, bounded by three stone walls and a wooden door with bars set high up. He was in one of the Kanlon's dungeon cells.
A heavy iron collar was fixed about the frost wolf's neck, a chain leading to the wall. A muzzle pinched his jaws painfully shut and all four paws were shackled together. More than that, his powers were bound again. The wolf was as helpless as a lamb set for slaughter. The ever present presence of Shingar was gone and he guessed that Aleister had managed to slay the big magister after all.
Vander whined softly, fleeting memories of the night before assaulting him. He remembered attacking Hauss, the inferno that had felled the Chief Healer, and wondered if he were still alive. A memory of Kalla's taunting words. The mage's cold expression. The cool voice urging her to go ahead and kill him. The rasping voice that had freed him, changed him. Given him a second chance and made him Kalla's responsibility.
Responsibility. Hah. Kalla's burden and one she most likely wouldn't want to deal with. He whimpered again and tried to curl up, but the chains and shackles made it difficult. He had no idea how long he lay, alone in the dark before he heard voices in the hall. They stopped outside the cell door. A key turned in the lock and the door scraped open. In filed Sevrus sin'Wyvaldor and two maesters bearing a thick pole.
The Sevfahlan mage was dressed in the formal robes of the 'Sin's judiciary capacity. A mane of unruly raven hair framed a face set in hard lines, his sea-green eyes grim. Without a word, the pole-bearers unlocked the collar from the wall and slipped the stout pole through the shackles binding Vander's paws. The frost wolf grunted as they stood, gripping the pole at either end and forcing all of his weight onto his bound paws.
Silently they followed Sevrus down a long corridor, with Vander swinging from the pole like some game hunter's prized trophy, the tail of his mane brushing the floor. He shivered inside, for what a fine trophy a red frost wolf pelt would make! He knew where they were taking him. This corridor had only one termination.
They were taking him to the Hall
of Execution.
Apparently Kalla had decided that she didn't want to be burdened with his unwanted presence after all, not that he blamed her in the least. They entered the Hall and Vander saw that others were already there, though Kalla wasn't among them. He recognized Warryn, standing to one side of a long stone table that rose waist high from the ground. The Archivist would be here as witness. To the other side stood one of the Nameless, the executioners of De Sikkari, cowl pulled up to hide his face. The Nameless were all trained magi, their skills and knowledge used to end life rather than save it. In the shadows beyond stood three silent, watchful figures, the magisters belonging to Sevrus, Warryn and the Nameless. The bearers laid Vander on the stone table and withdrew from the room, taking the pole with them. Sevrus loomed over him, eyes like frozen sea-foam glaring down at the bound wolf.
“Vander kyl'Solidor, you have been found guilty of being a traitor to the Kanlon and a threat to the people. The sentence is death by sinnis fal, the execution to be carried out immediately.” Sevrus' voice was flat, cold, matter-of-fact.
A thin whimper escaped the wolf at the 'Sin's harsh words. Warryn flicked a sympathetic look towards Vander as he dutifully recorded the judgment. Vander supposed it could be worse. The combined poisons of sinnis fal would put him to sleep. His passing would be painless and unlamented.
Vander closed his eyes as the Nameless stepped up to the table and unfurled his equipment. The wolf tried to tell himself that it would all be over soon, but he couldn't keep himself from whimpering. The man gently but efficiently rearranged his paws, seeking the best spot to work. Vander flinched as he felt the needle slide smoothly into his foreleg. A sensation of icy numbness followed it, spreading throughout his body. The first injection. He felt a pressure as the executioner slipped the first needle out and placed the second.
There was a sharp crack of power and an angry presence filled his mind.
“STOP!” A voice full of fury thundered through the room, the person's power crackling through the air, stronger than any he'd ever felt. The scent of rowan filled his nose. The wolf cracked an eye open. Kalla stood before the stone table, the Sky Fox behind her. She looked different and he realized that she now had ears like a Dashmari and a silver frosted mane. Her ears were pricked forward and her mane fluffed in anger. She jerked the needle free.
“Keep him stable!” There was so much authority in the voice that the Nameless obediently took up a place beside her. Vander cringed as he once more felt Kalla's power touch him, but this time, instead of hurting him, she began to break down the poison killing him. The wolf realized too, that the new presence in his mind was Kalla as well. Somehow the two magi had come to share a bond similar to that between a mage and their magister.
Ever so slowly, the numbness receded and Vander's mind began to clear. Finally the Healer sat back. Her face was now drawn and haggard, anger still simmering just below the surface. Behind her the others shifted. They had not interfered, not even Sevrus, but now the Sin' made his presence known.
“Kalla, what is this all about? And when did you wake?” the elder Mage's voice made her turn around. Almost absently, she laid a hand on the frost wolf's head. Vander relished the comforting touch, accidental or not. She touched fist to heart, bowing deeply.
“My apologies, Master sin'Wyvaldor. I woke just now. I… we… somehow Vander has become bound to me as Aleister is bound. I… felt him dying, so I woke and so I came to stop it. Balgeras gave him over to me, when he changed the two of us.
“The King of Cats cleansed him of Al'dhumarna's taint. I couldn't just let him die.” Kalla turned back to the frost wolf, lying on the table. She gently undid the clasp to the muzzle. As she slid it off a pink tongue flicked her hand in thanks, but otherwise he remained still, wary of having that anger turned on him.
“Master Sevrus, Solidor's guardian himself gave Vander a second chance. I could have killed him then, but Balgeras commanded me not to. I am also bid tell you… House Solidor no longer has a guardian. Grosso broke the tenets. The King of Cats said the breach must be repaired.” Whispers of power and the collar and shackles fell away. The magisters shifted, moving forward upon seeing that the frost wolf was free now.
“I wish we'd had this information earlier. This is not good news, to have lost one of the guardians. This will have to be presented to the Sin' and Kalla I can't say that the vote will not come up as execution again.” Sevrus sighed and ran his hand over his face. Kalla responded without turning around.
“Master sin'Wyvaldor, I can't break the Healer's trust, but I can tell you that Vander is no longer a threat. I can also tell you that it is the will of Balgeras that he live and that he be my responsibility. I accept. I understand so much more than I did before. Yes, I can assure you that he will cause no further problems.”
“Very well, Kalla. Take him with you for now. I will present this information to the others and what will be, will be.” Sevrus paused, looking over her with a gaze almost as critical as a Healer's might be. “You should return to the Healer's Hall, or your quarters. Get some more rest. We will summon you later.”
The petite Healer nodded, turning her attention back to the frost wolf. Blue eyes met her green and the wolf whined, low in his throat. He rolled over onto his back, twisting his head around to bare his throat to her.
“I beg forgiveness, Lady.” Vander's mindvoice was soft, frightened. He didn't expect to receive it. His thoughts told her that he expected to be punished, and harshly. Kalla thought about saying that there was nothing to forgive, for things were not entirely his fault, but the look on his wolfish face said otherwise. He needed to know where he stood.
“I forgive you,” she replied in a gentle tone. Without knowing completely why, Kalla reached down and brushed her hand down his throat, following the line of the large vessels there, acutely aware of the life blood flowing within them.
“Thank you… Dashkele ti'amaraaq.” The wolf's tail gave a weak wag and he turned his gaze to the impassive magister standing just behind her. The Arkaddian twitched the slightest of grins, his eyes softening, and the wolf relaxed a bit more.
Kalla reached around and gripped the scruff of his neck at the same instant that Aleister placed a hand on her shoulder. With another crack of power, the three found themselves out of the Hall of Execution and in Kalla's quarters. Vander gaped in wolfish amazement. Few magi could so casually teleport themselves, much less two others, but Kalla didn't seem nearly as fazed by it. The changes wrought by the King of Cats had granted her access to more power than she could draw before. She still looked haggard and tired, but not the least drained by the effort.
“I think we could all do with some food and some sleep,” the Healer murmured.
“Here, here.” Aleister yawned, flopping down in one of the chairs near the door. The wolf lay down beside the chair and put his head on his paws. Vander found he was far more comfortable in this form, than ever he had been in his other. He watched as Kalla pulled the cord that would call the Solidor servants. She shared a look with Aleister as she walked past the two, into the next room, closing the door behind her.
Kalla stretched as she closed the door to her sleeping quarters. Her body was still very much in need of rest and the energy she'd spent was starting to take its toll, though she was keeping it from her… two… magisters. That was such an odd thought, but already she was becoming used to the twin presences. The two of them felt very different in her mind. Aleister's mind was playful, as always it had been, while Vander's was more subdued, more serious. The frost wolf's thoughts were tinged with worry. He was afraid they were going to try and enforce the execution.
Kalla shook her head, muttering to herself. As she changed into a clean set of baggy pants and tunic her thoughts turned to Hauss. She wanted to go and check on him, but she was fairly certain the Healer was fine. When she'd been woken earlier by the newly forged link, she'd briefly heard the gruff Arkaddian's voice, so she knew he was still alive, and if he was that grumpy, he
was doing just fine. A spike of fear shot through Vander's link. The servants had arrived quicker than she had expected. From outside the door came a murmur of voices as Aleister asked the servants if they could bring up something to eat. He was just closing the outer door as she opened the one to her sleeping quarters.
“Lunch will be here shortly, milady,” the Sky Fox's lilting voice cut through her musings.
“Is it that late already?” Kalla asked, sinking into one of the comfortable chairs in her outer living chamber. Aleister nodded as he settled back into his own chair.
“Dos mere, Aleister. We should eat and rest while we can. There is no telling when they will summon us.” Kalla's voice dripped weariness. Her magick use was catching up to her. Aleister shifted in his seat, glancing down at the dejected frost wolf on the floor beside his chair.
“What happened last night, milady?” he asked softly. The mage started to speak, then paused.
“I'm not entirely sure, Aleister.” She shared a glance with the frost wolf.
“May I?” she asked, mindvoice gentle. The wolf seemed to shrug his shoulders.
“You are alpha. He is your second. The memories are now yours to share.” Even as he thought this, Vander looked away. Kalla could tell he was afraid of facing Aleister's ridicule.
“Look at me,” Though her voice was soft, the wolf still flinched as he turned back to her. “Aleister will not take them lightly, this I promise. However, if you do not wish me to share them, I will not.”
“If it will help him understand…” The wolf fell silent. Kalla reached over to Aleister, gesturing for his hand.
“It will be easier to show you,” she said. The Sky Fox glanced down at Vander, before silently giving her his hand, bracing for what he knew would come. The sharing was easier this time, the images flashing through his mind. She shared none of Vander's memories, only her own thoughts. Her sadness, her regret, her greater understanding of both him and his people. The battle, her taunting of the War Mage and her trickery.
Mother of Wolves (Evalyce Worldshaper Book 1) Page 12
