Dex unleashed a green orb, followed by a barrage of black energy. Oliver gestured as he descended the stairs. A group of violet orbs intercepted Dex’s attack, absorbed it, and raced at Dex.
“Where’s your pigeon, Dex?” Oliver mocked as he directed the violet orbs. They split up, homing in on Dex as he ran for the alcove and threw up a defensive wall. The orbs floated in front of the green wall as Oliver continued down the steps. “Let me know if I should expect your goddess of a girlfriend. I have a special surprise for her.”
He moved over to where Monty stood unsteadily. His pale face was covered in sweat. He used the wall for support as he focused on Oliver. He spat blood as Oliver stepped closer.
“Let my father go,” Monty rasped, “before it’s too late.”
“Too late for what?” Oliver looked around. “You’re planning on mounting an attack? You may have dispatched a few Envoys, and Arbiters, even some Ghosts. However, I have to say Wenk surprised me, he was quite skilled.”
“Do it.” Monty fell to one knee and coughed up more blood. He wiped away the blood from the ground.
“How does it feel to come home, Tristan? The familiar sights and smells… Well, it never smelled this scorched. Must bring back the memories.”
“This was never my home. I was sent here to become a weapon, to become like you.”
Oliver looked down at Monty, his expression one of disgust.
“Like me? You’ll never be like me,” Oliver hissed. “Oh, that’s right, your home is with your beloved Nana. How is she these days? Still pulling the old ‘I’m dead, but not really’ trick?”
“She’s no concern of yours.”
“Again, you’re mistaken, Tristan. Once I have control of the sects, once I’ve begun an age where mages rule this world, where our power is unquestioned, and we aren’t hiding in the shadows, in temples, or remote mountains, and caves…. Once we’re respected, then we’ll deal with the mages like your Nana. And once she and those like her are gone, we’ll take what’s rightfully ours—everything.”
“Humanity will never allow that. You’ll start another war.”
“Sometimes, in order to create, you must destroy. This is surely something you, of all mages, can understand.”
“You’re wrong.” Monty coughed into his hand, wiping more blood off his hands and onto his pants. “I never destroy with the intention of creating. When I destroy, the intention, my intention, is to obliterate my target. When I create, the intention is to create.”
“Well, we all can’t be like the great Montague family.”
Monty sat back against the wall. The image from the passage flashed in my mind.
“You…you always wanted to be a Montague,” Monty answered, in between more blood-laden coughs. He swiped his hands along his pants again, and I noticed that he was down to one ring.
Oliver shook his head and tutted. “Tristan, you sound and look positively ill.” He narrowed his eyes, examining Monty. “Are those traces of obsidian ice I see? Join me, and you’ll be whole, truly whole. I can heal you and restore your ability to cast.”
“Sod off!” Dex yelled. “He’ll not be joining the likes of you, you sack of bollocks!”
Oliver glanced at Dex. “I wasn’t speaking to you, you pathetic excuse for a mage.” He gestured and slammed several of the orbs into Dex’s shield, forcing Dex to focus on restoring it.
“Fuck you,” I growled as I worked my way into a seated position, ignoring the searing agony of my bones knitting together as my body accelerated the healing. “In case it wasn’t clear, he’s not interested.”
Oliver glanced my way with a smile and turned back to Monty. “I haven’t heard from him yet. What do you say, Tristan? Join me and gain more power than you’ve ever imagined.”
“Yes, I accept,” Monty said quietly. “As long as you restore my casting and release my mother’s essence.”
“Once you provide me with the Archmage permutation, you’ll be fully restored. As for your mother’s essence, I never possessed it. I merely convinced your father I did.”
“You never had it? How?”
Oliver shook his head. “I convinced Baudri to create a simulacra of her essence from some of her belongings your father treasured. It was an emotional resonance loop, not your mother’s essence that he felt.”
“It was an illusion?”
“A near perfect one.” Oliver shook his head with a malicious smile. “Baudri was truly a master of his discipline. I had to eliminate him when he wanted to confess, the fool. That and he deceived me with a perfect copy of Ziller. I made him suffer for that. After I shift”—he looked around the courtyard—“I’ll restore you and make sure their deaths are fast, no pain.”
“Good,” Monty said, wiping off more blood. “I don’t want them to suffer.”
“They won’t. Come, join me.”
I felt the shift almost immediately. I got to my feet and pulled at the lattice holding Peaches, but it wouldn’t budge. I saw the last ring turn to dust around Monty’s finger. I managed to get Ebonsoul under the lattice, cutting it, but it was slow going.
The blood around Monty and on his clothes burst with violet light. Monty got to his feet and, with a gesture, restored his clothing into an impeccable Zegna. His energy signature was off the charts. It reminded me of the time we faced off against Julien. Monty had shifted to Archmage.
“You’ll have to forgive me if I decline your offer.”
“You traced the blood into the runes of permutation?” Oliver stepped back, surprised. “Clever, even for you, but you can’t wield this power. It’s too much for you.”
“I’ll be releasing my father now.”
“No, I don’t think so. I think you and your friends will be dying now. It’s a pity, really. We could have ushered in a new era of magic. We could have ruled the world.”
“The world doesn’t need more rulers.”
Oliver released an orb. It raced at Monty, who deflected it with a slap. It exploded on contact.
THIRTY-FIVE
WHEN THE SMOKE cleared, Oliver had disappeared. The lattice holding Peaches and the orbs attacking Dex vanished. We raced up the stairs. The figures in the circle lay in pools of blood. Connor Montague lay face down outside of the circle.
Monty ran over to where his father lay and slowly turned him over.
“You heard me,” Connor said, his voice barely audible. “You created the permutation.”
“I did,” Monty replied quietly. “I don’t know how you discovered this, but it’s incredible, it’s—”
“It’s unstable, Tristan. I tried to explain it to Oliver, but he wouldn’t listen. You have to release it, or it will kill you.”
“I don’t understand,” Monty said, tracing some runes in the air. After a moment, he nodded. “It’s imperfect.”
Connor grabbed Monty by the arm and nodded. “There…there are no shortcuts. I was a fool for trying this, and a greater fool for allowing Oliver to deceive me with your mother.”
“You heard? Of course, the bond.”
Connor nodded. “No parent wants to bury their child, Tristan. Let the power go before it destroys you.”
Monty stood up and flexed his fingers. Violet arcs raced across his arms and body.
“Connor, he’s been exposed to obsidian ice.” Dex looked at Monty. “If he releases the power, he’ll die.”
Connor looked at Monty and extended a hand. “I won’t let him die. Let me help you release it, son.”
Monty grabbed his father’s hand and knelt beside him as they traced runes together. After a few moments, I felt another shift as Monty’s energy signature nearly disappeared. He sagged forward and Dex caught him.
“Connor,” Dex started.
“It’s fine,” Monty said, straightening out. “This is as it should be. Thank you, Father.”
Connor held on to Monty’s hand and stared into his face. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.
“I’m sorry,
son. I’m sorry for not being the father you deserved when you needed me.”
“Father, you don’t need to—”
Connor traced a rune on Monty’s hand and whispered something under his breath. A golden band of light wrapped itself around both their hands, securing them together.
“Connor? What are you doing?” Dex said in agitation as he tried to separate them but couldn’t. “Stop this. Stop this right now.”
“Enough, Dex,” Connor said gently, looking at his younger brother. “It’s my choice. When I’m gone, it’s up to you to restore this place.”
“No, brother, don’t.” Dex shook his head. “Don’t do this, we can help you. There has to be a way.”
“It’s too late for me, Dex. They’ve been draining my essence for a long time now.”
“I’m sure there’s a tome in the Repository that can reverse this,” Monty said. “We can get Professor Ziller and he—”
Connor smiled and shook his head. “I’m not an Archmage any longer. Oliver and the remaining Elders saw to that, but what I have left, I give to you freely, son. I love you.”
Connor traced runes in the air and the golden band exploded with light, temporarily blinding me. It lasted for several seconds before dying down and disappearing.
Connor was fading fast. His energy signature grew less noticeable with each second. He pulled Monty close with the last of his strength.
“Don’t let him escape, Tristan. You stop Oliver or die in the attempt.”
THIRTY-SIX
“WHAT DID HE do?” I looked around at the devastation. “Bloody hell.”
“A transference. Connor transferred whatever was left of his essence to Tristan. How do you feel, lad?”
“I need you two to get back to the exit.” Monty rested Connor gently on the ground, stood, and pulled on his sleeves. “I’ll deal with Oliver.”
“Not without us, you won’t.” Dex squared up against Monty, his face hard. “We’ll stop him.”
“No, I have to do this alone, don’t you see? It was his dying wish.”
Dex didn’t budge. “His dying wish wasn’t for you to join him, lad.” He poked Monty in the chest. “You’re not doing this alone. You may be cured of the ice, doesn’t mean you can stand alone against Oliver.”
“I can’t.”
“Of course you can’t. That’s why we’re here.”
“No, Uncle Dex, I can’t lose anyone else. I have to do this alone. Oliver is too strong. I don’t know if I’m walking away from this one.”
“All the more reason for us to be by your side, lad. Now, find the bastard, and let’s put an end to him.”
Monty closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. “He’s not in the Sanctuary.” His eyes snapped open. “We need to get to the exit, now.”
“I already told you, lad, we’re not leaving your side,” Dex started, and Monty grabbed him by the shoulder. “He went to the nexus. Oliver is in the nexus. He’s trying to get off this plane.”
We raced all the way to the bottom of the stairs, when it dawned on me that we would have to cross the Void Passage again. I stopped, quite abruptly, and Peaches almost threw my hip out of its socket.
Monty whirled on me.
“What is it? What part of urgency do you not understand? We have to stop him while he’s in the nexus. It’s our best chance.”
“The fastest way through the Sanctuary is…?”
“The passage. We’ll get you through it. Move, Simon.”
“Not happening. Let me try something else. If it works, great. If not, I’ll take the long way rather than go through that hell again.”
“Now? Really?”
“Yes, now.” I crouched down and placed my hands on the sides of Peaches’ head.
He chuffed and shook his head. After a few seconds, he oriented himself and pointed his body in what I guessed was the direction of the Tushes.
“Everyone grab the hellhound.”
I held on to his collar as the runes in the stones began flashing. Monty looked concerned as he grabbed the collar too.
“Are you sure this is a good id—?”
The courtyard disappeared. A moment later, we were behind TK and LD.
“You know, of course, that you’re cursed,” TK was saying to LD. “May you live with an interesting wife.”
“That is the only part of my life that is unquestionably not cursed.”
“You lie so pretty,” she said with her scary smile.
“Yes…I mean…no...I mean, it’s a trap!” LD pointed behind her.
TK turned and unleashed a barrage of orbs at us. Monty waved an arm and deflected them to the side. TK raised an eyebrow, impressed.
“We need to get to the nexus, now.”
LD stepped away from the wall and almost stumbled to the ground.
“He’s nearly spent, but I think he can manage a portal.” TK held him up. “Will you be able to get out on your own?”
I looked down at Peaches. “I’m pretty sure we can find a way off.”
“In that case, stand together.”
LD gestured, forming a gray circle under us. “Good to go.”
“Remember your word, Tristan,” TK said as they vanished.
THIRTY-SEVEN
ONCE WE ARRIVED at the nexus circle, an orb slammed into my side, sending me sprawling. Peaches blinked out as Oliver closed the distance, unleashing more orbs. Monty raised a shield while I tried to catch my breath from the bruised ribs.
“Ugh, I just got sucker orbed.” I rubbed my side as my curse dealt with the injury. “Can we end him now?”
“We’d better. If he gets to our plane, he may be too strong, even for all of us. It has to be here and now.”
Monty spun off to the side as I drew Grim Whisper and fired. Dex unleashed a wave of green energy as I pressed the bead on my mala and closed in on Oliver.
Oliver shifted sideways and avoided Dex’s attack while simultaneously deflecting my bullets. Monty’s orb crashed into his midsection and spun him around as Peaches blinked in, latched on to a leg, and proceeded to shake.
Dex unleashed a lattice and held him in place. Oliver tried futilely to break free, but the nexus had drained a large portion of his power.
“Once I’m free, I’ll lay waste to your world.”
Monty gestured and his hands gave off a golden glow as he approached.
“I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Oliver glared as Monty knelt down next to him. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Erasure is too good for him, lad. Put him out of his misery.”
“No, Father would have offered him this mercy.” Monty placed his hands on Oliver’s temples. The golden light traveled from Monty hands to Oliver temples, and remained there, pulsing. Monty whispered something under his breath, and the golden glow transformed, turning darker. Peaches padded over to my side.
Oliver’s screams filled the nexus for several minutes. Monty removed the gold band from Oliver’s forehead, whispered once more, and disintegrated it.
“I will live to see the day you lie at my feet, begging for your life, Tristan Montague.”
“You have no magic, I doubt you’ll live that long.”
I turned in time to see Oliver extend his arm and materialize a handcannon. He got off three shots: one grazed me in the arm, another punched through my leg, and the last one slammed into Dex.
“Shit, Dex!” He was still moving, but the pool of blood around his body was bad.
“Don’t worry about me, fini
sh him!” he yelled from the ground.
“Did you think you could erase me? You aren’t the only one who knows how to use reservoirs.” Oliver held up a hand covered in rings. “You erased what I allowed you to erase.”
“You bastard,” Dex spat, clenching his midsection.
Oliver raised the handcannon again and took aim at Monty. “Goodbye, Tristan.”
Monty shifted forward, gestured, and disappeared. He reappeared behind Oliver as he drew his swords, the Sorrows. Oliver tried to turn, but it was too late. Monty buried both of them through Oliver’s chest. Their wails filled the nexus as Oliver fell to his knees, looking down in shock at the blades protruding from his chest.
The swords crackled with blue energy as Monty moved close and whispered something in Oliver’s ear. Both swords erupted with power as Oliver’s body disintegrated.
Monty sheathed his swords and ran over to Dex. He turned him over and placed a glowing hand over the wound.
“Don’t you dare die on me, you old fool.”
After a few moments, Dex coughed and cracked open an eye. “Next time, you check the bastard for reservoirs or any hidden weapons. What kind of battle mage are you? Are you just an expert at blowing up buildings? Didn’t I teach you anything?”
“How did you do that?” I asked, once Monty made sure Dex would recover. “I’ve never seen you teleport like that.”
“I’m just observant.” He looked down at Peaches. “Your creature showed me how. I just needed to pay closer attention.”
“Can we go home now? I could use about a decade off.”
I rested my head on the warm ground under me. My body was closing the wounds, and the warmth felt good for once.
“Before we start your vacation, you’ll have to attend the reckoning as my shieldbearer.”
“Can’t you just apologize profusely for trying to Smith Bridge her, and call it a day?”
“Have you met TK?” He shook his head with an almost smile and then grew serious.
“Fine,” I said, “but if she kills you, I’m not telling Roxanne.”
“Simon, I wanted to say—”
“Save it. We’re family. That’s what family does for each other. Oh, and you both had better be ready to make sausage for days, until that hellhound explodes.”
Homecoming A Montague & Strong Detective Novel Page 18
