The Trials (Assassin's Intent Book 1)

by Lanford, K. W.

  He held up his goblet in a small salute and took a long drink. "So I drink. That is all a coward can do to hide from himself. That is, until now. Never have I seen anyone before tonight even get close to Braxton. Not even with a bow. I see you with your father's face and courage, stand up to one of those damned mages and it takes me back."

  The smile of old memories faded in a heartbeat when the door opened and Stolly was forcibly shoved through. "Father, did you see those apes manhandle me in my own home? I will have them beaten in public before the week is out."

  The king just sat there, staring at him with a look crossed between hatred and disappointment. Stolly finished his little rant, then meticulously straightened his rumpled clothing and started to walk across the room. "Stay where you are," the king commanded. Stolly stopped, turning towards his father with a bored look. Obviously, it was going to be another undue chastising he would have to endure. "Who is Browman?"

  Stolly looked shocked and stammered. "Browman? How should I know?"

  The king tapped a finger against the side of his goblet. "What about Rianna? Does that sound familiar?"

  Worry started to creep onto Stolly’s face. "She is just a girl from town. Why do you ask? Nothing has happened to her I hope." Aram could see the sparkle in Stolly’s eyes at the prospect of hearing news.

  By the look on the king’s face he didn’t miss it either. "It would seem she was set upon by assassins."

  Stolly’s feigned look of horror was as transparent as a strong gust of air. "What animal would do such a thing? Give me your leave father and I shall hunt this beast down. I’ll have him thrown from the kingdom."

  The king continued to tap on his goblet, apparently deep in thought. "So you think exile a fitting punishment? What if he has titles or land? What should become of those when the culprit is found?"

  Stolly placed his hands behind his back, looking up at the ceiling while he thought. "Surely no man of means would resort to such barbarism. However, if he did I would have to first find out if he had just cause. If it turned out he did not have a just cause, I would strip him of all titles and land and then exile him."

  The king nodded his agreement. "I would say that is a fair and just punishment." The king got up from his chair and walked over to the door. He opened the door, beckoned in the two guardsmen and then shut the door. He whispered something to them and returned to his seat. The two guards took position to either side of Stolly.

  Sweat was starting to form on Stolly’s upper lip and forehead. "What’s this then?"

  The king gestured to the two guards. "These are my best two men. They are going to help catch the culprit. Do you remember how we marked a few coins we had in the treasury?" Stolly nodded. "Well, I have been similarly marking every coin I have ever given you so that I might know where and on what it was spent. The assassins failed to kill Rianna and upon their corpses were found coins that I had given to you."

  Stolly laughed out loud. "That’s impossible. If I did hire an assassin I wouldn’t pay the idiot until the deed was done, so how could they have gotten any coin from me? Obviously, someone I had bought something from used my coin to pay them."

  The king continued to tap the goblet. "It would appear the coin was left over from the Browman job."

  Stolly chuckled. "I never paid them for that." Suddenly realizing his mistake, he quickly countered. "I never paid them because I didn't hire them."

  The king held up his left hand and waggled his ring finger. The act had no meaning for Aram, but Stolly’s face went suddenly pale.

  The king leaned forward. "It would seem according to the punishment you yourself set down, we are now at the point where you explain your 'just cause' before being punished."

  Stolly took a step forward, but was suddenly restrained by the two guards. "Fine, you want to know my cause father? It is you! You are a weak, pathetic man. The people openly despise you and you allow it. I was trying to bring respect back to the throne."

  The king leaned even farther forward in his chair. His finger had finally stopped taping the goblet and was pressed as tightly against it as the others, while he squeezed it in a fit of rage. "You think having a girl murdered in the streets will bring respect to the throne? Are you mad, or truly that flaming stupid?" The pure hatred that poured from the look Stolly gave his father was unnerving.

  Aram set down his goblet and moved unseen to behind the king’s right shoulder. Stolly gave a short laugh. "No father, you are the one who is stupid. I think it is time this kingdom had a real ruler. Again, your shortsightedness will be your downfall. You sent me away for five years to train at the Order and expect these apes to be able to hold me?"

  Stolly twisted out of the guards' grasp and pulled a short sword from one of their belts. He struck the other with an open-palmed blow to the nose and then ran towards the king. Just before he could reach his father, sword raised for a brutal, downward blow, Aram appeared.

  Aram hit him with a flurry of strikes faster than the eye could follow. The sword fell from Stolly’s numbed fingers, both arms dropping uselessly to his sides. His eyes bulged out grotesquely as he dropped to his knees, trying to draw a breath. Aram casually stepped aside and let the king look at his murderous son. "If you leave him like that, will he die?"

  Aram shrugged. "Depends upon his will. It is possible, but he should just pass out and start to breathe again."

  The king stepped forward. "Can you prevent that? I would like him conscious when I pass judgment." Aram gave Stolly a quick kick to his midsection that forced his throat to reopen. Stolly took a gasping breath, but still couldn't force words past his damaged throat. The king looked down at him. "You have always been a disappointment to me. I will not have a murderer loose with my last name. I hereby strip you of the name Langstam. I strip from you all titles, inheritance and lands. You are from here on a nameless vagabond, without so much as a copper.

  "I shall have you bound and gagged. Then they will take you to the nearest sea port, where I shall pay for a one way voyage. If you ever step foot inside this or any allied kingdoms, your life will be forfeit."

  Broden gestured to the guards. "Take this excrement from my sight and see that my will be done." The guards quickly gathered Stolly and the dropped weapon, then carried him out. Broden turned to Aram. "It seems as far as saving one another's life, we are now even. I cannot use my past deeds to convince you to help me now. I can only hope you have as much honor as your father."

  Aram considered him for a moment. "So you feel the Mages Guild will return in force?"

  Broden nodded. "If you will not help protect me, I shall be gone before the sun rises."

  Aram paced the floor for a moment while he thought it all out. He turned his ring a half turn and waited. The ring stopped vibrating almost immediately. Instead of opening a full portal, Aram just opened a small window and looked through at Yantis. "The king has requested asylum. Could you ask Victor and the others how I should proceed?"

  Yantis looked troubled. "We have had a visitor. There is much we need to discuss. I will go to Victor immediately. When I'm ready, I will turn my ring; if it continues to vibrate, open your portal; if it only lasts for a moment, open a window like this." Yantis turned, walking out of sight.

  Aram closed the window and turned back to Broden. "Why would the Mages Guild come for you?"

  Broden heaved a heavy sigh, gestured for Aram to have a seat, then sat down. "When the mages first came to your father, they offered him a mage to sit as his councilor. Your father rebuked them. He said that when and if he had a concern dealing with magic, they would be the first to know. The Guild then sent another emissary. This one made the mistake of threatening your father. I have never before or since seen a sword clear a scabbard and behead someone so quickly. Don't get the wrong impression; your father was as kind and forgiving a man anyone could ever hope to be. He just didn't take threats too well. It wasn't a week later when Braxton showed up here for the first time. He never made the mistake of a direct
threat to your father. Instead, he made it to me.

  The rest I have already told you. After I was named king, the mages forced me to raise taxes. All that was in the vault was their yearly tithing for the last five years. Braxton was here to collect, no doubt. They had sent a younger man earlier this week and I was forced to tell him the gold was stolen. I had been expecting a visit from Braxton for days now. So you see, since he was run off by you, they will come back in greater numbers."

  Aram sat there quietly as he thought it over. Before he could say anything, his ring started to vibrate. He gave it a few seconds to see if it stopped on its own, then stood up. "It would appear your request has been granted." Aram opened a portal and motioned Broden through.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Magic and Mayhem

  Broden stepped through the portal and into a small room, with Aram right behind. Yantis and Victor were both in the room. Aram looked around, taking in his surroundings. They were in a well furnished space, about the size of a typical room in any inn. The most peculiar part was that there was no door. The walls were solid, well fitted stone, as was the floor and ceiling. The flue of a small fireplace at one end was the only means of fresh air.

  Aram expected Broden to explode in indignation. Instead, his eyes lit up and a smile spread across his face. "This is perfect! They will never find me here!"

  Yantis looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "They who?"

  Broden had walked over to the bed and was bouncing on it to test its feel. "The Mages Guild, of course."

  Yantis’ eyes nearly fell out of his head. "We are hiding you from the Mages Guild? Why are you hiding from them? What have you done?" Yantis looked at Aram next. "If we are to take on the Mages Guild, we are sorely out-matched."

  Aram walked up to Yantis and poked him on the shoulder. He felt his finger touch and nodded to himself. Yantis rubbed his shoulder and looked at Aram in confusion. "What in the abyss was that for?"

  Aram looked Yantis in the eye. "What do you know of a mage named Braxton?"

  Yantis looked like he was about to collapse. He pointed an accusing finger at Broden. "Braxton! You have offended Braxton and are now here endangering our lives?"

  Broden barked a laugh and hooked his thumb towards Aram. "He is the one that tried to kill the bastard. I don’t know how Braxton withstood a blow like that, but I can tell you the look on his face was priceless!"

  Yantis ran the fingers of both hands through his hair before looking again at Aram. "You hit him? You actually struck the Arch Mage of Ilsador? I think I am going to be sick."

  Aram shrugged. "I didn’t actually hit him. I hit some sort of barrier. That’s what that poke was for, to see if you had a similar spell. I would really like to know more about it so that I can kill him."

  Broden burst into laughter. "Slow down Aram. I think you’re going to push your friend there past his limits! Someone get me and that man, a drink!"

  Victor stepped forward; to the average eye, his gaunt frame was anything but intimidating. Broden knew better however, as did everyone else in the room. "I don’t know what you have told the boy to gain his trust, but I assure you it will have to be amazing to clear you in my eyes."

  Broden’s smile and good humor vanished, replaced with what could only be described as deep regret. He stood slowly, looking Victor in the eyes. "I know you think I killed your dear friend Victor. I know everyone in this kingdom thinks I am something I am not. What I told the boy was simply the truth. I have tried to talk to you about all of this for years, but you never reply to my missives. I know how things looked from the outside, but I swear to you I had far too much respect for Aramis to have him murdered in his sleep. I don’t know how I can convince you. To be honest, I have no idea why Aram took me at my word, but I am glad that he did."

  Aram reached into his pocket and pulled out the journal. He handed it to Victor. "This is why I believed him. Written in my father’s own hand, I read the same story only a few hours before I heard it from Broden. That was why I went to the castle. I wanted to hear the truth from someone who was actually there. I got the same truth as I read in there, along with more than what my father knew. I think the last three pages will help you understand." Aram gestured for him to open the journal. Victor sat in a chair by a small table, turning to the last three pages.

  While Victor was busy reading, Aram went back to Yantis who still seemed to be having trouble coming to grips with it all. "Yantis I need you. Don’t let Braxton keep you from focusing. He isn’t that powerful."

  Yantis looked up at Aram. "What do you mean he isn’t that powerful? He is the most powerful mage to walk the realms!"

  Aram chuckled. "Not anymore. He cast the hold spell on me and I can assure you that Rix has at least twice the power he has."

  Yantis had a doubtful look on his face. "How can you tell?"

  Aram thought for a moment about how to explain it. "When Rix cast the hold spell on me, it was as if I could feel its grip on my mind. It was intensely strong. It took me several minutes to break free of it and even then I wasn’t in full control for a few moments afterward. When you cast it on me, the grip wasn’t nearly as tight and I was able to free myself a little easier.

  The grip Braxton put on me was only slightly tighter than your own. If he is your better, it is only due to knowledge not immense power. Rix, on the other hand, is something beyond either of you. If you can get him trained, the Guild just might have a new arch mage."

  Yantis looked around before walking over to a small cabinet. He opened it up, pulled out two glasses and filled them both with brandy. He walked over to Broden, handed him one and then sat on the bed beside him. Broden barked a laugh and clapped him on the back saying; "A toast to better days!" Then he drank nearly half the glass. Yantis nodded and draining his own in one long swallow.

  Aram was looking around the room and noticed what he thought at first was a wardrobe, but it had a lock on the outside. He looked inside and found that it was just an empty box with a rune carved into the floor. It would seem the room had a door after all; one just needed the secret of rune portals to access it. Aram nodded in approval and memorized the rune.

  Aram was still looking in the wardrobe when he heard Victor say softly. "By the gods." Victor gently placed the journal on the table and looked up at Broden. "All this time I thought … When all along you were the only reason Mayla and Aram lived."

  Broden smiled. "Mayla lives? Can I see her? Is she here? There is so much I would like to tell her. So much I would like for her to understand."

  Victor patted the air in front of himself. "In time, in time. You must understand that up until five minutes ago, I wanted nothing more than to get my hands around your neck. We have much that we need to work out. For example, what about the spy you sent here?"

  Broden shrugged completely at a loss. "What spy? I don’t even know where 'here' is."

  Victor looked around the little room and chuckled at himself. "I was referring to the Order. You sent a young man named Maddox there to spy on me or the Order."

  Broden looked confused for a moment and then the name sank in. "Maddox you say? That would have had to be the work of Stolly. He will no longer be a worry. Train Maddox well; he is a good kid. His only flaw is a poor judgment of character in his friends. Stolly has been stripped of his name and title and banished from the kingdom for hiring assassins to kill a girl; not to mention, trying to murder me." Broden shook his head sadly and drained his glass.

  Victor turned a surprised look on Aram. Aram nodded his head. "I saw the exchange myself. Broden is speaking the truth."

  Victor picked up the journal and handed it back to Aram. "I would wager your mother would like to read this."

  Aram nodded his agreement and took the journal. "Yantis, you said we needed to talk about a visitor?"

  Yantis looked at him and shrugged. "What with the news that the Mages Guild is coming for us, an army hardly matters."

  Aram grabbed him by the shoulders. "What army
?"

  Yantis looked up. "Remember Jerald had said that King Truman had pledged men to us?" Aram nodded his head. "Well, he sent a messenger saying he was being directed to attack your new friend there." He poked his thumb towards Broden.

  "Directed by whom? That doesn't make any sense at all." Aram exclaimed.

  Broden cleared his throat to get their attention. When everyone looked his way, he spoke. "It makes perfect sense. The mages know a large portion of my men-at-arms deserted to join you Aram. They also know that my coffers are depleted, so I have no means of hiring more. There is no doubt it is the mages themselves behind this. They think Truman is in their pocket. I was allowed to sit in on a couple of Aramis' and Trumans' meetings. Truman went the route of feigning obedience. While he was in fact, spreading information to the other kingdoms. It would seem the Mages Guild wants a more cooperative king than I."

  Aram turned to Yantis. "I need to find a way to get past that shield of Braxton's. Do you know of a way?"

  Yantis thought it over. "There is one way that comes to mind, but it would be difficult." He looked up at Aram and a smiled crossed his face. "Unless I can teach your brother how to cast an enchantment, yes if he is as powerful as you claim, it could work. I will need some time to work with Rix." He turned, bowed to everyone, made a portal and stepped through. Aram caught a glimpse of a startled Rix just before it closed.

  Aram looked at Victor. "I could send you back to the Order if you like, but I need to be going as well."

  Victor looked at Broden. "If you would like to have that talk now, I'd be willing to stay the night and hear you out."

  Broden smiled. "That sounds splendid; however, is there enough brandy in that cabinet to last us the night?"

  Victor laughed. "I didn't want to leave you any, but Mayla insisted you be well stocked. She remembered your love for good brandy."

  Victor turned to Aram. "You go on and do what you need to do. I shall keep our guest company tonight."