“Sven, please, I need you to listen to me.”
Halli. Of course it was Halli. Halli the ever hopeful, Halli the peacemaker, Halli the completely clueless. It was obvious that they were all going to die. Why couldn’t she just leave him in peace?
“Sven.” Halli turned him toward her and shook him with both hands on his shoulders. “I need you here and now. Don’t fade on me.”
“Why?” The word floated up to break through the despondence. “What’s the point, Halli? Why should I bother?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“We’re never going to see our home again, never see our families again. Even if the orocs had been able to save us and bring us back to people, where would we fit in? What would we do?”
“We’d go to the Academy, just as we planned.” Halli said.
“Because we’re all ready for the Academy now?” he asked, turning his gaze away from her. “Malec and Pavil are gone, Tetra is probably dead.… Who of the Jaegen Seven do we have left?”
“We survived. We’re left. You, me, Laney, and Kat. And the others are alive. I can feel it.” Halli knelt carefully in front of him, trying not to jostle the cage more. “We have to do something. I need your help.”
“‘Use magics again, and I burn little humans,’” Sven mimicked the ifrahn. “What are we supposed to do? It’s not like any of us are Magnuses like Malec or Pathoses like Pavil. They would be able to get us out of here, to distract the guards. All we have is me, a useless Tecton. What am I supposed to do with my ability? And it’s not like any of you are any better. None of us have been trained well enough to be able to take on these creatures. They’re all born to this. We have to be trained, and they sure managed to stop that, didn’t they?”
“That’s not the way to be thinking about this situation, Sven.” Tears came to Halli’s eyes and she wiped them away quickly.
“Then how should I think about it? What exactly do you expect me to do here but wait to die? The ifrahn are too strong, and there’s too many of them.” He swept his hand toward the cavern. “How are we supposed to fight all of that?”
“We don’t have to fight. We just have to make sure some of us will get out of here.” She firmed her lips. “Look, I heard some of the ifrahn speaking. They’re going to kill us, leave our bodies, and make it look like orocs did it. They have a plan, a plot of some sort. We need to stop them before this goes any further.”
“Why?” The question kept returning to him. He repeated himself, “What’s the point, Halli?”
“The point is,” she said, firming her grip on his shoulders and forcing him to meet her eyes, “that we are still alive, and while we are still alive, we can die doing something to make all of this right.”
“What about them?” Sven pointed at the younger children, huddled together, some holding hands, others just crying, tears streaming down their faces. “What about them?”
“We all have to take our chances if we’re going to survive. If they stay here, they’re dead. If we can get them out of here, we’ll have a fighting chance at least.”
“A chance to die faster, you mean.”
“If it comes to that, yes,” she said, firming her lips. “But we have to try. We’ve spent too long waiting, too long feeling helpless. We have to do something, anything.”
“You think it will make a difference, Halli?” he asked, finally meeting her eyes.
“It has to. It’s our only chance.”
Looking at the others, at Laney, at the children, his gaze rested on Kat. Halli had brought Kat back from certain death. Maybe there was hope for them. For all of them even, but if he didn’t have hope for himself, what could he do for the rest? He was one of the oldest. He had a responsibility.
He nodded once, curtly. “What’s your plan?”
***
Chapter Forty-one
Tetra Bicks
The rescue party marched along, sixteen strong, threading through the forest. Only six of the Admired, plus Sibyl, had agreed to join them, making the rest murderers, cowards, or just plain smart. While tiring, the group’s fast pace provided some relief for Tetra. It shielded him some from the exterior fear, diminishing it to a more tolerable level, allowing him to think clearly again—though he now battled fears of his own. What had happened to frighten Halli so much? He tried not to imagine various scenarios, but too many taunted him to ignore.
The others followed him in silence, trusting him to lead the way. He realized, in turn, that he trusted them as well. They’d all fought and bled together, saved one another’s lives, and refused to let each other give up hope. In these moments, he knew he’d fight just as hard to save any one of them if they were in the same situation as Halli. The Admired who hadn’t … it was enough that Malec and Pavil trusted them.
They traveled until noon the next day, when they came to a clearing surrounding the mouth of a cave that bored into a low cliff. The smell of burnt flesh hung in the air. After sending lookouts to the perimeter, they edged into the clearing. There, they found four charred bodies, reduced to little more than skeletons.
“It would take a very powerful Volcon to do this,” Alleen said as she studied the corpses. “Or several weaker ones working together.”
Bealdred growled. “Ifrahn.” When the others looked at him in curiosity, he splayed his hands. “Ain’t it obvious? These’re too big to be human. Gotta be orocs. Ain’t no oroc gonna kill another with fire, and if you’re talkin’ ’bout a buncha strong Volcons, you gotta figure them scaly bastards are ’round. If that ain’t enough, ifrahn fire smells different. I’m tellin’ ya straight, this is ifrahn work.”
“Here?” Andros asked. “In the Rocmire?”
The blacksmith knuckled the side of his head. “Got a better idea? Think these lit ’emselves on fire and laid down to die? Think a Dreadknight wouldn’t know the work of the ifrahn?”
Tetra eased toward the cave, ignoring the adults, and his connection with Halli strengthened as he approached. Hearing retching noises, he looked back to see Pavil staggering from the corpses to empty his stomach. Malec went to check on him as Reynolds joined Tetra.
“No sign of the children,” Kellian said.
“Thank the Aspects,” Oltarian added.
“Please tell me you aren’t drawn to the cave,” Reynolds said, peering into the opening. “Yup. You’re drawn to the cave, aren’t you?”
“Hold on,” Malec called over. Something glinted as it flew from the ground to his hand. He examined it for a moment and then displayed a broken chain with a shard-shaped pendant. “Laney wore this.” He met Tetra’s eyes. “They were here.”
“I don’t like this,” Andros said, circling the bodies.
“Me either,” Bealdred said, joining Tetra by the cave. “But things ain’t gonna change just ’cause we don’t like ’em. Looks like we’re dealin’ with worse than just orocs. Whatcha sense, git?”
“Down,” Tetra answered. “Through the cave.”
Reynolds scowled. “It had to be the cave.” Tetra started to head inside, but the major caught his arm. “Hang on. We need a better sense of what’s waiting for us before we all go charging in.”
“Agreed,” Andros said. “We should send a small scouting party.”
“I’m going with you then,” Tetra said.
“Not yet.” Reynolds spoke over his protest. “You’ve brought us this far, but now we need to think tactically. Whatever’s waiting down there burned four orocs to a crisp and might have the children as hostages. If we go barging in blind, we’re likely to get them killed as much as ourselves.” He pointed at Kellian and Alleen. “You two, with me. We go in fast and quiet, scope the layout, and then get back here so we can formulate the best approach.”
Andros pressed his lips together. “Are you sure you don’t want to send a few of the bandits in first?”
“My men signed up for pardons, not death sentences,” Sibyl said. “Send your own in and we’ll guard the outskirts to make sure you
aren’t bothered.”
Andros acceded this with a nod. “Fair enough.”
“I still want to go,” Tetra said. “I can be quiet.”
Sibyl turned and snarled at him. “Shut up, you stupid, stupid boy. Don’t you understand how much Malthius is risking for you and your friends? Now quit your whining or else I’ll slice your tongue out myself!”
He stepped back, his shock at her vicious tone matched by the others’ expressions—all except for Reynolds, who looked resigned. She stalked over to him and grabbed his collar. “You had to find me again, didn’t you?” She jabbed a finger at his chest, then looked away, bleary eyed. “Go get yourself killed then. You were always good at that.”
Everyone stared at Reynolds as he watched her join the men ringing the clearing. Then he sighed and waved for his corporals.
“You heard the lady. Let’s go.”
***
Chapter Forty-two
Kellian Mikkels
The cave interior looked odd and unnatural to Kellian’s eyes. Not that he knew much about caves, but he thought they tended to be rougher in shape and texture. Here, smooth ripples worked along the walls, as if they’d been melted and quickly cooled. Such a large-scale use of fire suggested Bealdred guessed true about ifrahn involvement. Even the stalactites and stalagmites were smooth spears piercing the floor and ceiling of the cave.
He followed Reynolds and Alleen down the main tunnel, their way lit by volamps. The Volcon had enlisted Bealdred to help her fashion fuel out of densely packed balls of dead wood, and Reynolds had unpacked the miniature metal lamps before they ventured into the depths of the earth. Kellian admired Alleen’s courage in coming and hoped she’d be able to sense any ifrahn long before they bumped into them. The Volcons in the bandit group didn’t have the strength to be of much use against ifrahn other than dampening.
They descended without words, using hand and head gestures to communicate. Other than the occasional click of a weapon against a buckle or armor stud, they proceeded in silence. The sound of rushing water grew until it filled the cave with an eerie roar as the passage grew larger and larger. The cave had gone from a smallish tunnel, which fit the three of them comfortably but would have been tight to fit a fourth, into a gaping cavern that their entire group of sixteen could have walked shoulder to shoulder through. Kellian reached out with his Tidus, sensing an underground river overhead with an aboveground counterpart.
Then they reached a wall of ice blocking their way. He pushed his affinity into it, straining to gauge its thickness, and found it stretched at least a few feet.
“Sir,” he said, “I’m not sure we can go any farther.”
“This ice isn’t natural.” Alleen’s eyes glowed as she used her Volcon sight. “Not any more than the rest of the cave. It’s too warm here for this to form. It should be a waterfall.”
“It’s massive,” Kellian stretched his senses against it. “Even if someone froze it, shouldn’t it melt again fairly quickly? No … something is holding it, keeping it frozen. I have no idea how this thing exists.” he gulped. “Possibly scores of them are creating it. Could Bealdred have been wrong? Ifrahn don’t use water magics, right?”
Reynolds tapped the ice waterfall, walking from cave wall to cave wall, running the volamp along it.
“They’re providing constant maintenance, then.” Alleen glanced around nervously. “—or maybe they embedded a Heart Shard inside. It’s more likely that they have a couple of them on the other side, keeping the magic up. In this case, Kell, we have a trick you don’t. My affinity lets me pull heat from water. I can’t do it without touching it if a Tidus is actively manipulating it, but a waterfall like this? Sure, I could do it with the help of maybe one other person.”
“Maintenance it is then.” Reynolds stepped back, studying the wall. “There could be ifrahn on the other side then, though most likely only a few. Hmm.”
“Sure,” Alleen said. “But they wouldn’t be able to see us through that much ice, the same way I can’t tell if they’re there. I can’t sense any other Volcons, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. We could also be completely wrong. They could be at any point along the path of the water, above or below us.”
“Well then, best be ready. Can you melt it?” Reynolds asked, taking her volamp and handing it to Kellian.
“I’ll try.” Alleen positioned herself before the ice wall.
“Mikkels, collect the runoff in case we need it.” Reynolds drew his sword and stood at the ready beside Alleen. “Now, Faulk.”
She placed her palms flat on the frozen cascade, shivering slightly at the chill of the static waterfall, and closed her eyes. The ice melted rapidly at the wall’s center. Kellian knelt and placed a hand against the wet stone beneath him. The dripping liquid coalesced over his clothing, forming a shimmering outer layer. As more poured down, he guided it, creating undulating stalagmites beside him. Alleen continued melting the ice until an opening broke wide, just large enough for Reynolds to walk through. The major blurred then vanished. Kellian focused on his water manipulation, but took a second to appreciate Reynolds’ disappearance. He loved that instant when a Tempest triggered their affinity.
An instant later, Reynolds peeked back through the opening. “Clear.”
Kellian traded relieved smiles with Alleen. She balled a fist and his stalagmites froze as he handed back her volamp. They followed Reynolds through the ice and continued deeper into the cave.
Kellian’s discomfort grew as they went. He’d never been so far underground before. If they ran into trouble down here, there’d be no chance of backup.
“Why ice?” Reynolds asked after a while. “Couldn’t they have used rock?”
“The ice is faster,” Alleen said. “And it keeps Tectons and Tiduses from coming any farther. I doubt they expected another Volcon to come this way through the forest. Their primary concern was likely orocs—” She raised a fist, signaling a stop. Orange light glimmered further down the tunnel. “Sir, there’s an incredible amount of heat ahead. And so many Volcon affinities, I won’t try to count them. Dozens? I don’t know, maybe hundreds …”
“Any near us?” Reynolds asked.
Kellian’s mind worked at the details. That many affinities meant a small army of ifrahn down here. He ignored the impossibility to focus on what he could figure out instead. His brain kept coming back to why. Why would they be here? Why in oroc territory deep in the Rocmire.
“I don’t think so, but they could be dampened.”
Reynolds grunted. “Well, that doesn’t bode well for us. One problem at a time. Slow and steady ahead. Be ready for anything. Our first priority is to get back out in one piece.”
Volamps snuffed, weapons drawn, they crept closer to the light source. They came to a corner just before the tunnel ended. Reynolds blurred and vanished again, then returned a moment later. Kellian wondered how many more times he could do that before he had to rest.
“Clear, but stay low.” Reynolds went prone and crawled back around the corner. Kellian and Alleen followed, exiting the tunnel onto a broad ledge.
The cavern defied comprehension. Figures swarmed in and out of openings all along the walls, clambering over ledges and rocky outcroppings. Their hiding spot was situated highest, giving them a wide view of the lake of magma bubbling hundreds of feet below.
“It’s a damned ifrahn city,” Reynolds whispered hoarsely.
“It looks more like an outpost to me,” Alleen said. She flushed in embarrassment. “Not that I’ve seen either before, sir. Just from the books I’ve read …”
Reynolds gave her a flat look. “Okay, it’s a damned ifrahn outpost.”
Kellian scanned the chamber, marveling at its enormity. Movement drew his eyes to a particular outcropping, where a huge cage hung over the magma. He peered closer and made out the small figures huddled inside. The children. It had to be.
“Sir.” He pointing that way just as several ifrahn approached the cage. “What do we do?
They watched as the ifrahn began to pull the children out of the cage.
“Corporals, return to the ice wall and wait for me,” Reynolds said.
“Sir, what about you?” Alleen asked. “You can’t go down there alone—”
“This is a covert operation,” Reynolds said. “The fewer of us involved, the less likely the chances of being caught. If I don’t rejoin you in half an hour, get back topside and inform the others what we’ve discovered. If you hear anyone coming, get out and warn them.” He cut off further protests. “Go now, Corporals. That’s an order.”
They crawled backwards from the ledge until they could stand once more in the tunnel. Kellian stared at Alleen, aghast, and she looked equally at a loss. What could the major hope to accomplish on his own?
***
Chapter Forty-three
Pavil Serevin
Pavil had never sensed Tetra so angry before. Back in Jaegen, he’d often struggled with pain and guilt during their training, but rarely anger—and never this deep and hot. In a way, it echoed Sibyl’s fury when Riktos had tried to take the Admired from her. Yet hers had flared and ebbed depending on who she was around.
Tetra, though … his anger remained kindled within him at all times, even when he laughed and smiled. When they’d reunited, Pavil had first detected this change in his friend but didn’t know what caused it. Now he did. Jaegen. The orocs. How could the fires of anger burn so hot, for so long, and not consume him?
Pavil wondered if he should feel angrier about Jaegen. Every now and then he did, the blood rushing to his face, making him want to hit things. Anger flowed and ebbed no more frequently than the pain of loss though. And the emotional ups and downs had come less often over the months. When thinking about Jaegen now, he mostly felt sad … and scared, to be honest. To have such a cornerstone of life snatched away without warning made him wonder if he could ever trust anything to be certain ever again.
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