The Study Series Bundle

by Maria V. Snyder

32

  CAHIL AND HIS MEN had found us. Trapped inside my crate, I could do nothing but wait for the inevitable. I hoped Valek and the others hiding in the wagon would be able to sneak away.

  “I assume you have Yelena hidden somewhere in your wagon?” Cahil asked.

  “Have who, sir?” Ari asked, playing innocent. “All I have is goods for the market.”

  “For the market? The market you just rode through without stopping to unload? I don’t think so. Despite your disguises and weak attempts to explain your presence, I know who you are and why you’re here. In fact, I was sent by Jal to come and escort you to the Keep.”

  I heard a creak as Ari shifted his weight and I detected a faint rustling from below me. Probably Valek opening his escape panel.

  “Relax,” Cahil said. “I’m not here to capture you. I’m here to join you. And I hope for the sake of all our lives you have a decent plan.”

  I had to let Cahil’s words sink in. Had he just said he wanted to join us?

  “A plan, sir?” Ari asked.

  Cahil snorted with exasperation. “Yelena! Leif!” he called. “Come out and tell your big northern friend I’m telling the truth. Look for yourselves. My men have not drawn their—”

  A surprised yelp followed a thud. Then Ari moved off the wagon and the rugs on top of my crate scraped away. The lid lifted. I had my switchblade in hand, but Ari’s amused face greeted me. He helped me stand. Valek had a knife to Cahil’s throat. He and Cahil were on the ground. Cahil’s men remained on their mounts. The men appeared tense and alert but hadn’t drawn any weapons. Leif and Janco joined Ari and all three pulled their blades. Marrok stayed on Garnet.

  “Tell me why I shouldn’t cut your throat?” Valek asked Cahil.

  “You won’t get into the Keep without me,” he said. He kept still and held his hands up and away from his body.

  “Why this sudden change of heart?” I asked.

  Cahil’s gaze met mine. Hatred still radiated from his eyes but the pain of betrayal tainted them. “You were right.” He said each word as if it hurt him. “They’re using me and…”

  “And what?” I prompted.

  “The rituals and killings have gotten out of hand. I can’t be a part of it anymore.” He looked at Marrok. “I wasn’t raised to be a killer. I was raised to be a leader. I’ll earn my throne the old-fashioned way.”

  Although the expression on Marrok’s face never changed, his body relaxed.

  “How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Ari asked.

  “Yelena knows through her magic.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t use it. It will alert Jal and risk the mission.”

  “She already knows you’re here. You have thwarted her a number of times, although it will be more difficult now, as she has gained an incredible amount of power through the Kirakawa ritual.”

  “She?” Valek and I asked in unison.

  “We thought Jal was Gede,” I said.

  Cahil blinked at us for a moment. “You didn’t know? What else don’t you know? You were planning an attack at the Keep, right? I thought you had it all figured out.”

  “You thought wrong,” I said, annoyed. “We had to guess about the state of affairs inside the Keep.”

  “Then here’s a way for me to prove my loyalty. I’ll tell you what’s been going on and will help you get inside. Agreed?”

  Valek and I exchanged a glance.

  “Do I still get to kill him?” Valek asked.

  “At the first sign of betrayal, yes,” I said.

  “What about after this is all over?”

  “Then it’s your call.”

  Cahil stared at us. “Hold on. I’m risking my life to help you. I’d like some guarantees.”

  “We’ve come to a point where there are no guarantees. For any of us,” I said.

  “That’s not very encouraging,” Cahil said.

  “It’s not supposed to be. You should know what happens when you play with fire, Cahil. Eventually, you’ll get burned. Now, tell us what you know,” I ordered.

  Valek removed his knife from Cahil’s throat and stepped back. Cahil scanned the area. We had attracted quite the crowd, but I saw to my relief that there were no Vermin among them. Then it hit me—why not? I asked Cahil.

  He gave me a sardonic smile. “They’re all at the Keep. Roze plans a massive Kirakawa ritual using all the magicians she has captured to empower all her favorite Warpers in one sweep. And you’re to be the coup de grâce.”

  My blood turned to ice. “Roze?”

  A superior expression settled on Cahil’s face. “Yes, Roze Featherstone, First Magician also known as Jalila Daviian, First Warper and founder of the Daviian Clan.”

  All color drained from Leif’s face. “But how? Why?”

  “I had no idea until Ferde was caught. She asked me to rescue him in exchange for the Council’s support to invade Ixia,” Cahil said. “I thought it was an undercover mission to learn who else was behind his bid for power. Though, when I discovered the truth about her and the other Warpers, I must admit it didn’t bother me at the time. She promised to attack Ixia and make me king.”

  “How many Warpers are inside and who are the victims for the ritual?” I asked.

  “Six very powerful Warpers, including Roze and Gede. They have been very careful about who they allow to increase their powers, keeping crucial information about the Kirakawa ritual to a select few. There are fifty Vermin soldiers and ten medium-powered Warpers. Two of those Warpers are scheduled to be given master-level powers during the massive ritual. The victims for this ritual will be the three other Masters, who are incarcerated in the Keep’s cells, Moon Man and the Councilors.”

  “What about the students?”

  “The older apprentices have been put in the cells. The younger ones obey out of fear.”

  “How does Roze plan to control the Master Magicians?”

  “She has the power, but I think she does plan to prick them with Curare to save her energy. Once they are tied down, a dose of Theobroma will weaken their defenses.”

  “They seem to have an unlimited supply of Curare,” I mused out loud.

  “Gede Daviian has provided the drug for them. He also helped recruit dissatisfied Sandseeds to the Daviian Clan. And having a pet Fire Warper has made him the Daviians’ most valued member.”

  I mulled over the information. “How do you plan to get us inside?”

  “As my prisoner. She knows I went to find you. I’ll bring you to her and since my feelings for you haven’t changed, I won’t have to act like I hate you. Sensing nothing wrong, Roze will probably order me to take the rest—” Cahil pointed to Ari and Janco “—to the cells.”

  “Why would I cooperate with you?”

  “Because I’ll have Leif, and I’ll make a bargain to keep him safe in exchange for your cooperation.”

  My mind raced through the options and possibilities. For the first time, I felt hopeful about my friends’ survival. “Cahil, when you take the others to the cells, can you free everyone inside?”

  “As long as Roze is occupied.”

  Valek smiled. “What’s the plan, love?”

  We approached the Keep’s gate at a slow walk. I sat in front of Cahil on his horse. Ari and Marrok sat on the wagon with their hands tied behind their backs. Valek and Janco hid in the bottom crates, and Leif sat on Kiki with one of Cahil’s men sitting behind him armed with a knife.

  I didn’t have to pretend to be scared and concerned for my friends. We were waved through the gate without hesitation. Ari had informed the Citadel’s citizens to wait ten minutes before storming the entrance to the Keep. Ten minutes for Cahil and the rest to free the prisoners and for me to jump into the fire. I hoped it was enough time.

  The wagon bypassed the Keep’s administration building to where the apprentice barracks formed a ring around an open area. A few students hurried past, keeping their gazes on the ground as they carried out their tasks.

  The grassy gl
en had been transformed. I stared at the waste-land in shock. The bonfire was expected, but the grass around the fire had been covered with sand. Brownish-red stains soaked the sand and stakes had been driven into it.

  It was the killing ground for the Kirakawa ritual. And the next victim had already been tied down and prepped.

  Bloody cuts crisscrossed his abdomen, legs and arms. Although in pain, Moon Man still managed to smile. “Now we can start the party,” he said.

  Roze frowned at him and he writhed in agony. She stood next to Moon Man. Gede was beside her. Other Warpers ringed the fire pit, watching with predatory eyes.

  “I see you finally managed to get something right, Cahil,” she said. “Bring her here.”

  Cahil slid off the saddle and grabbed me around the waist. He knew he didn’t need to help me down, so he must have a reason. I let him yank me from the saddle, and drop me on the ground.

  “Where do you want to go?” he asked in a tight whisper as he jerked me to my feet.

  “As close to the fire as I can.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.” Although my heart beat a different answer. No! it pounded. Let’s go! Run!

  He clamped his hand around my arm and pulled me to Roze. We stopped a few feet from the fire. The heat pulsed in waves. Sweat dripped down my back.

  Roze gestured to a couple of Warpers. “There are two hiding in the boxes. Take them.”

  The Warpers and a few soldiers advanced on the wagon. After some banging and cursing, Janco and Gale were hauled out.

  “There are three compartments, but one is empty,” a Warper called.

  Roze looked at me with a question in her eyes.

  “For me. So I could get inside the Citadel.” The truth. I kept my mind on the task at hand and didn’t allow it to wonder about Valek.

  “At this distance, Yelena, do you realize your mental defenses are nothing but a thin shell? I will see your lies before you can form them in your mind. Remember that.”

  I nodded and strengthened my barrier.

  She laughed and ordered the soldiers to take the others to the cells. “I’ll deal with them later.” Once the cart was out of sight, she peered at me and Cahil.

  “Your capture was too easy,” she said. “You must think I’m a simpleton, but no matter, I’ve only to expand a sliver of power to find out what you’re planning.” Her strong magic invaded my mind.

  I kept my thoughts on saving Moon Man, Leif and the others as I mentally dodged her onslaught. It failed to work. To distract her, I asked, “Why?”

  “Nice try.” Her magic crashed through my defenses, and seized my body. “You are in my power now. Sitia is saved.”

  “Saved from me?” At least I could still talk. In fact, even with her incredible strength, she could only control either my mind or my body. Not both.

  “Saved from you. The Commander. Valek. Our way of life is secured.”

  “By killing Sitians? Using blood magic?”

  “Small price to pay for our continued prosperity. I could not let the Commander invade us. The Council failed to see the problem. I created the Daviians as a backup—a hidden weapon for when we needed them. It worked. The Council eventually agreed with me.” Smug satisfaction shone in her eyes.

  Through our mental link, I sensed she didn’t understand the whole truth or she chose to ignore it. “The Daviians forced the Council to agree with you. They had their children.”

  Extreme annoyance creased Roze’s forehead. She shot Gede a venom-laced look. He wisely remained quiet, but his muscles tensed.

  “Are you sure you have control of the Daviians?” I asked.

  “Of course. And once we choose a new Council we will attack Ixia and free them. They will welcome our way of life.” She smiled.

  “So you saved Sitia? Tell me, how is sacrificing the Council different than Valek assassinating them?”

  Roze frowned and a wave of pain pulsed through my body. My thoughts scattered as an unrelenting torment twisted my muscles. When I regained my senses, I was lying in the sand, looking up at her.

  “Isn’t choosing new Councilors the same as appointing generals?” I asked.

  Another jolt of pain sizzled along my spine. I arched my back and screamed. Sweat poured from my head and soaked my clothes. My heart pumped as if it ran for its life. I gasped for breath.

  “Would you care to ask anything else?” Danger glinted in her eyes.

  “Yes. How are your actions different than the Commander’s?”

  She paused, and I pressed my advantage. “You want to protect Sitia from the Commander, but in the process you turned into him.”

  Her mouth opened to protest, but I interrupted. “You’re worried the Commander would invade Sitia and turn your clans into Military Districts. But you’re planning to attack Ixia and turn his Military Districts into clans. How is that different? Tell me!”

  She blustered and shook her head. “I’m…he’s…” Then she laughed. “Why should I listen to you? You’re a Soulfinder. You want to control Sitia. Of course you would try to sway me with your lies.”

  Gede relaxed and chuckled with Roze. “She will twist your words. You should kill her now.”

  Roze drew a breath.

  “Wait for the ritual! I have something you want,” I said.

  “What could you have that I can not take from you?”

  “According to the ritual, a willing victim releases more power than a resisting one.”

  “And you will submit to me in exchange for what?”

  “For all my friends’ lives.”

  “No. Only one. You choose.”

  “Moon Man, then.” I hoped the others managed to escape.

  She released her hold on me. I stood, but she pointed. “Lie in the sand,” she ordered.

  “Can I ask another question first?”

  “One.”

  “What happens to the Fire Warper after this ritual?”

  “Once you’re dead, our deal is complete. We have promised him your power and fed him in exchange for knowledge about the blood magic. He will then have enough power to rule the underworld.”

  A shout reached us and I felt a magical onslaught.

  Roze turned to the commotion and gestured to her Warpers. “Take care of them.” Unconcerned, she said to me, “You know they will not get close to us. My Warpers and I have enough power to stop them.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “But I don’t think you believe it. Watch what I can do. This used to drain me of energy. Now it takes only a thought.” Her gaze went to Moon Man’s.

  His face paled and his body jerked once then stilled. The shine in his eyes dulled as his soul left his body.

  33

  I DIVED OVER HIS PRONE form and inhaled his soul before crashing to the sand.

  Gede gasped. “He was for the ritual.”

  Roze laughed and said, “Don’t worry. She’ll now give me two sources of power when I cut her heart out.”

  “We made a deal, Roze. My cooperation for Moon Man.” I brushed the sand off my clothes.

  “And you won’t cooperate when I press a knife to Leif’s throat?” she asked. By the expression on my face, she knew I would. “You’re too soft, Soulfinder. You could have raised a soulless army. They would have been undefeatable. Magic doesn’t work on them. Only fire.”

  Another cry split the air, but this time from the opposite direction. A Vermin raced toward us.

  “Now what?” Roze asked him.

  “The Keep’s gates are under attack,” he said, panting.

  She glanced at the Warpers fighting with the Keep’s magicians. A vision of the battle formed in my mind. The ferocity of the combat dwindled. The confusing array of magical images was gone and Gale’s whirling dust devils had died. People fell to the ground after being hit with Curare-laced darts. Leif, Ari and Bain lay paralyzed. Janco fought a soldier, keeping the man between him and the blowpipes. His movements slowed as another Warper focused his magic on him.
/>   Roze’s Warpers had gained the upper hand; it was only a matter of time.

  “There is nobody left to rescue you,” Roze said.

  Her comments hit home when she called a few Warpers away from the battle to deal with the revolt at the gates.

  But there was one person I didn’t see and that gave me some hope. “Roze, you haven’t figured everything out.”

  She looked dubious. “What have I missed? Valek? Oh, I know he’s here. Magic might not affect him, but Curare will do the trick.”

  “No. The Fire Warper.”

  “What about him?”

  “You haven’t taken into account that he might have different plans than you.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Gede and I feed him. We give him his power. Who else would help him?”

  “I would.”

  I ran toward the fire. Roze’s yell sounded faint over the roar of the blaze. The heat encompassed me in a loving embrace. Burning pain transformed into pinpricks of pleasure. But this time the world didn’t settle into the smooth plain of black. Souls filled my world, writhing and crying with misery. The air stank of decay and infection.

  Help! Help! they cried.

  The Fire Warper ordered them to be quiet and pushed them away from me. “She is here for me,” he said. “She will not help you.”

  He studied me. “You have brought me a treat. No only a soul for the sky, but Moon Man’s bright power will increase my strength.”

  Moon Man stood next to me. He peered about the fire world with mild interest.

  “I’m sorry you’re here,” I said. “I didn’t plan for it to be you.”

  “Why not? I am your guide, Yelena. In life and in death. That never changes.”

  “But you said Gede was my new Story Weaver.”

  “You were looking for an easy road. Which Gede provided. You could have reclaimed me as your Story Weaver at any time.”

  “How?”

  “You just needed to ask. Or rather begged for my return—much better for my ego.”

  The Fire Warper stepped between us. “How sweet. Now take me to the sky,” he demanded.

  “No,” I said.

  “You cannot refuse me. We made a deal.”