Pyforial Games

by B. T. Narro

  Every scenario that came to her mind ended with the three of them dying while trying to save whatever innocent was accused.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  SHARA

  “We have questioned everyone who was in range,” Maxwell announced, “and now we’ll make a decision.” He conferred with a circle of men as the audience came alive again and parents awoke their children.

  Shara noticed Neeko glancing in every direction. He seemed to take the most time as he peered behind them and upward.

  Deliberation lasted only a few moments. “Arrieta,” Maxwell directed. “Come down here.”

  “It wasn’t me!”

  “She didn’t do this!” the duke added.

  Maxwell said something to the swordsmen and archers around him. They came to the edge and began pulling themselves up into the seating area while twenty more looked ready to follow if they were needed.

  Arrieta shrieked and her father screamed that this was a mistake. Neeko leaned forward and grabbed Shara and Cedri’s arms. He pulled them quickly, nearly making Shara trip. He let go of Cedri to catch her, then grabbed her arm again and pulled them farther.

  Others were getting out of the way as well while the duke came down a row to stand between his daughter and the approaching soldiers.

  “The smoke!” Neeko whispered. “Now, Shara.”

  There was no time to make sure they weren’t being watched. She could only hope all attention was diverted to Arrieta, the duke, and the swordsmen.

  Gray and yellow, she reminded herself, remembering the colors of the substances Steffen had told her to mix. There wasn’t enough light for her to see into her bag, though, forcing her to pull out each vial to check.

  She found the gray one as what sounded like a fight broke out. She glimpsed the duke shoving back a swordsman as she went for the other vial.

  By the time she got the yellow out, everyone near Arrieta screamed in their hurry to get away. Shara saw one swordsman fall backward as another impaled the duke’s stomach.

  Shara removed both stoppers and poured the yellow substance into the vial containing the gray. She put back the stopper as Steffen had instructed, then crouched to place it at their feet so no one could catch sight of her throwing it.

  “We need to move away from it,” she told Neeko and Cedri.

  “But nothing’s happening,” Neeko said, staring down at the cloudy mixture of dark gray.

  “The vial should break in a moment.”

  Shara started in the direction of the locked gate, but Neeko took her hand to stop her.

  “This way.” He led them toward the top of the arena, bounding up tall rows of stone as quickly as if they were stairs. He veered toward Arrieta. The poor woman clung to her fallen father as a swordsman lifted her and ripped her away.

  The duke tried to get up, holding one hand over the wound on his stomach. Shara had seen how far the sword had penetrated. The man would die, though it would take some time.

  Shara heard glass breaking. The vial. She shot a look over her shoulder to find the smoke exploding into the air, spreading like water breaking out of a dam. It moved faster than the fleeing people nearby, enveloping them as they screamed in confusion and horror, many thinking it was flames.

  The smoke didn’t appear as harmless as Steffen described it. The dense cloud shot out in every direction, not thinning but remaining dark even at its origin.

  Cedri cursed in awe. But Neeko hardly seemed to notice the smoke, gripping Shara’s hand harder as he pulled her toward Arrieta.

  One man had Arrieta in his arms, but he suddenly dropped her as his hands went to his throat.

  Shara was against this idea, about to scream for Neeko to stop before realizing how idiotic it would be to reveal Neeko as the pyforial mage. He kept his hands at his sides, though he did stare at the man he was choking a few feet away.

  “She is the py mage!” a man shouted, his voice barely heard over the confusion caused by the smoke. He got a hand on Arrieta’s arm only to be pushed away by py before he could get a good grasp. The same happened to the next man.

  Then everything went dark as the smoke enveloped them. Shara could feel the laden air adding weight to her lungs. Each rapid breath tasted dry. She could still see Neeko and Cedri but nothing beyond them.

  Please lungs, keep working. At least she wasn’t coughing, which she heard coming from others in every direction. People screamed Arrieta’s name as Neeko pulled Shara closer to her.

  “Just keep following me,” Neeko instructed. A moment later, he had Arrieta’s wrist in his hand.

  She tried to shake free.

  “I’m getting you out!” he yelled.

  A swordsman’s arms appeared through the haze, his sword already drawn. “She’s here!”

  He tried to stab Arrieta, but Neeko threw him out of the way with py.

  “Which way?” Arrieta asked, no longer resisting.

  “Up.”

  Neeko pulled Arrieta and Shara while she kept her other hand locked with Cedri’s. There were fewer people as they climbed higher, but those who did spot Arrieta called out to the swordsmen. No one remained in sight for more than an instant, the smoke too dense.

  As they sped up the rows of stone, Shara couldn’t believe they hadn’t broken out of the smoke yet. There was less light the farther they went from the braziers in the center of the stadium.

  Neeko slowed as they climbed. “Gods, how many rows are there?”

  Then Shara realized what he was doing. He wants us to jump off the top. She focused to draw in bastial energy, then pushed it out in a gust of hot wind. For a moment, the smoke cleared before them, revealing a few more rows of stone benches before the final wall. Then the smoke closed back in.

  It felt darker and quieter than before. Her wand and Cedri’s came alive at the same moment, blasting out yellow light. Shara used her mind to keep up a constant flow of bastial energy. Her lungs burned. Her heart pounded.

  She didn’t get her foot all the way onto the next row and started to fall backward. She shrieked, but Neeko pulled hard enough to steady her, practically catching all of her weight with his one arm.

  “Up there!” people yelled below them. The sound of her shriek had drawn their attention.

  The wall was about as tall as Cedri, making it easy to climb. Neeko was first up and turned on his knees to offer his hand to Shara. She took his support, using her other hand to hoist herself up.

  “Careful,” Neeko warned. “There’s only about a yard of space before the drop.”

  Shara sent out another gust of hot bastial energy, creating a tunnel of clarity. She almost toppled backward at the sight. She didn’t know how high they were, but she was certain a fall from here would kill her.

  The smoke closed around them, darkness returning. Shara and Cedri both created light once more as Neeko pulled Arrieta up with them.

  “We’re going to float down,” Neeko said. “We have to go at the same time. It’s the only way I can carry us all.”

  And even then, he might not be able to.

  “I’m going to make the bed of py now. Shara, blow the smoke out of the way so I can see. Cedri, keep the light aimed at the ridge.”

  Straining for breath, she managed to create the soft gust of bastial energy Neeko needed to see his energy. She watched as he formed a ball of py. As it grew to the size of his torso, the light bent around it and caused it to shimmer.

  Then it went flat, pushing away the smoke beneath it. Neeko pulled his arms into his sides and the long sheet of energy came to the edge of the stone they were seated upon.

  “When I count to three, everyone leap forward onto it. Land on your stomachs to distribute your weight evenly. We have to go at the same time because I can’t keep it hovering with any weight on it.”

  The energy was barely visible, making it look like they were about to jump off the edge onto nothing.

  Shara stopped her wind as she prepared herself, fear making it impossible to focus. Cedri’s
light went out.

  “Is it still there?” Arrieta asked.

  “Yes.” Neeko started his count. “One, two, three.”

  Fear almost prevented Shara from moving, but she forced herself to leap. Her scream of terror was instantly muffled by the cushion of energy. She began to sink with her shins still atop the edge of the stadium. They slipped off to crash against the edge of the py, her nails digging into it like a cat to keep her from tilting backward.

  There was a lurch as if something had grabbed the bed of energy and yanked it downward. Shara heard herself screaming, though she could do nothing to stop it. Neeko had lost control and now she was going to die.

  They left the smoke behind as they fell fast, the city of Wertisall a blur around them. Then the py began to jerk through the air, slowing and then speeding repeatedly. It caused Shara to flop like a fish on land. She dug her nails deeper and tried to press herself flat.

  There were moments when the energy felt as if it was about to slip away, falling faster than her body could catch up. Then it would slow, and Shara’s face and chest slammed against it. She could hear Neeko grunt with each jerk of the energy.

  Through all of it, she could see the ground approaching at a rate that would crack open her skull. But soon they slowed as the energy glided at an even pace. They were ten feet from the ground, now floating down like a leaf carried softly by the wind. Neeko eased them all the way to the ground, where the energy kept them hovering for a moment longer. Then it disappeared, and they plopped down onto the grass.

  “Where is Arrieta?” Neeko asked, already on his feet and pulling Shara up.

  Shara looked behind Neeko. There was only Cedri. “Could it be she didn’t jump?”

  Cedri shrugged. “Must not have. Let’s go.”

  Shara glanced up, still expecting to find Arrieta somewhere. Smoke curled over the edge of the stadium high above them.

  “Let’s go!” Cedri repeated, grabbing Neeko’s arm.

  Shara followed as Neeko stumbled after Cedri, a puzzled expression on his face. He looked back up at the stadium, then suddenly stopped.

  “Why wouldn’t she jump? They’re going to kill her!”

  Shara grabbed his hand. “She made a choice.”

  The women dragged Neeko away from the stadium before he could decide to go back.

  “We need to get our horses,” Shara told them, “before word spreads to the guard at the gate to stop anyone trying to leave.”

  They ran frantically through the empty city. Soon the chaotic noise of the stadium receded, leaving only the patter of their footsteps.

  “Dammit!” Neeko blurted. “Why didn’t she jump? I could have supported her weight for long enough.”

  “She was scared,” Cedri answered.

  “We all were scared!” Neeko snapped.

  Cedri showed him a vexed look.

  “You did everything you could,” Shara assured.

  He didn’t seem to want to be consoled, ignoring her to bark something else at Cedri. “You should’ve used psyche to ease her fear.”

  “You think this is my fault? You’re going to blame me now?”

  Neeko stopped and turned back toward the stadium. “Gods, why didn’t she jump?”

  Cedri’s anger disappeared as disappointment seemed to come next. “I can feel your guilt,” she told Neeko. “But the woman wasn’t brave enough, or perhaps she didn’t trust us enough. Nothing you could’ve done would’ve changed that. And I never could’ve known she wasn’t going to jump. There wasn’t enough time for me to read her with psyche, let alone sway her emotions.”

  Neeko cursed under his breath as they began to run again. Shara wanted to ease his conscience, but now wasn’t the time.

  “Put on a smile,” she told Neeko. “We got to meet the priest, and we’re excited to return to our village, so we don’t want to stay the night.”

  “I’ll use psyche to make him want to believe us,” Cedri said.

  The guard they’d met on their way in was still there. He seemed concerned by their approach.

  “Where are your escorts?” he asked.

  “They stayed at the stadium,” Neeko lied.

  The guard began shaking his head. “They wouldn’t do that. All visitors must be escorted at all times.”

  Neeko couldn’t seem to figure out what to say. Cedri stepped forward, drawing the guard’s gaze.

  “There was an issue with the choice of the seminal. They stayed to oversee it. We met with Priest Elbick, and he allowed us to go.”

  “That’s why we’re not staying,” Neeko broke in. “We’re excited to return to our village with the counsel he gave us.”

  “May we have our horses?” Cedri asked.

  The guard suddenly smiled as if they were old friends. “Of course. I wouldn’t keep you against your will.”

  Soon they were riding away, the city gate growing smaller behind them. They should’ve been proud to have carried out their mission and would’ve been if Arrieta had just jumped.

  They rode in silence for miles as exhaustion caught up to Shara. “Let’s make camp ahead.” She pointed at a copse of trees.

  After they settled and made a fire, Neeko sat on a rock. He didn’t speak, even when Shara sat beside him and put her head on his shoulder.

  Cedri said nothing, either, as she shook out her blanket and curled up in it.

  “If they don’t kill her, they’re going to torture her for information because they think she’s a spy,” Neeko finally said. “And it’s because of me.”

  Shara kissed his cheek. “You have nothing to regret.”

  Cedri got up with a sigh and sat on Neeko’s other side. “There’s a chance they’ll realize it was the three of us, Neeko. Someone saw us rescue her, and they’ll notice we’re no longer there. They’ll figure it out.”

  Neeko put his hand on his chin and gradually began to nod. “You’re right. She might live.”

  “Though if she does, she can only look forward to a night of being raped over and over,” Cedri murmured as if speaking to herself.

  Neeko grimaced. “And they killed her father.”

  “The poor woman,” Shara said to the fire.

  After some time, she could feel Neeko’s eyes on her. When she looked over to meet his glance, he turned the other way to make sure Cedri was looking as well.

  “I won’t be responsible for the death of another innocent person,” he told them. “Even if it means allowing King Marteph to live.”

  Cedri’s face showed she disapproved, but she said nothing.

  Shara thought about what had just happened for some time, a mixture of pride and sorrow twisting in her mind.

  “Sometimes we do everything we can,” she told Neeko, “and it still isn’t good enough. One of the hardest things in life is to accept that.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  NEEKO

  Neeko saw the morning sun’s red fringe coming up from the horizon just before he settled beneath his blanket and attempted to sleep. It had taken the entire night to ride a safe distance away from Wertisall, but one of the two priests was dead.

  He felt nothing as he remembered pulling out Colin’s sword and running it through the priest’s neck. Instead, he worried about Arrieta until sleep finally claimed him.

  They rested until noon, when a crow awakened them with a deep caw. Neeko and Shara bolted up to find Cedri glancing around nervously.

  “Just a bird,” Cedri said.

  It squawked again. Shara lay back down and put her arm over her face. “Neeko, can you scare it off with py? I want to sleep another hour.”

  But Cedri was already up and walking toward them. “We should go. They could be looking for us.” She bent down and touched Shara, who sat up immediately and blinked several times.

  “What did you just do to me?” she asked.

  “Used psyche to help you wake up.”

  Shara put her hand over her heart. “Please don’t do that ever again.”

  Soon
after breakfast, Neeko decided to check on the storm and the Northern army’s progress toward Tramberr. He could see both from the air.

  The storm had been changing each day, sometimes spreading northeastward toward the Southern capital, Khalinar. Other times, the storm seemed the same as the day before, but it never looked to be receding.

  “Neeko, wait,” Cedri said somewhat sheepishly. “There’s a lake there.” She pointed at a large body of clear water maybe a half mile away. “Let’s go there first so you can hover over the water…and lift me with you.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “But you’ve been practicing a lot, and you said the distance from the ground doesn’t affect the difficulty because the pyforial energy remains close to you.”

  “That’s true, but if I make a mistake we still might break our bones falling into the water.” He pointed to the sky. “I need to be extremely high to see over the mountains.”

  “I still wish to ride if you’re confident you can hold me.”

  “It’s not a ride.” She’s just doing this for fun. “It’s not worth the risk.”

  “I’ll never be able to experience anything like it.” She took a breath. “Please. You’ve never let the energy slip out while training with Shara, and I’m lighter than she is.”

  Shara clicked her tongue. “Only because you’re the size of a child!”

  “I’m not saying that you have an excess of heft about your waist, Shara. Calm yourself.”

  The corner of Shara’s mouth curled as she folded her arms.

  “Fine,” Neeko said. “I suppose I can hold you.”

  They rode to the lake, where Cedri bit down on her lip in an excited smile Neeko was certain he’d never seen before. He aimed his back toward her.

  “Lower,” she requested.

  “Oh.” He was used to Shara.

  She locked her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist.

  He folded his elbows down, trapping the energy against his torso. He would never be comfortable with the pressure, but it wasn't nearly as painful as the first time, when he’d carried Shara over the canopy of the forest. He willed the energy up, jolting him and Cedri from the ground. She gasped and squeezed him so tightly she almost drove the breath from his lungs.