The Shadow Sorceress

by Victor Gischler

  “I’ve been told my quarters are at the unfashionable far end of the castle.” It was a scandalous suggestion, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

  An amused smile quirked to her lips. “Bring wine. I need to make my excuses to a few people.”

  She whisked past me, fingers brushing my arm as she went.

  There is an art to hurrying without appearing to be hurrying, so it was with great poise and composure that I hurriedly found a nearby anteroom where the servants staged the food and drink for the reception. I appropriated a full jug and two clean goblets. I’d barely made it back to my room, finger-combing my hair, when I heard the knock at my door.

  I opened the door, and she rushed in past me, looking over her shoulder to make sure she hadn’t been seen. I closed the door again quickly and locked it.

  Mireen rapidly unbuttoned the top three buttons of her dress, opening the collar and revealing a smooth, graceful throat. “Finally. I can breathe again. Are you going to pour me some of that or not?”

  I filled her goblet. She took it and sat on the edge of the bed. I filled mine and joined her.

  She sipped then said, “I’ll be blunt. I want to hear more about this new magic your ink mage has.”

  “You didn’t need to sneak into my room for that,” I told her. “I would have been happy to discuss it.”

  “I didn’t sneak into your room to discuss magic,” she said. “I came for this.”

  Mireen leaned in, brushed her lips with mine. Excitement surged through me. She trailed a cool finger down my jawline, kissed me softly again.

  “I guess I was somehow more charming than I thought.”

  She laughed. “I’ve already confessed to being spoiled and bored, and you, my dear Templeton, are at least something new. I do as I please. Now, about this new kind of magic.”

  I was reluctant to dash her hopes, but in fact, I didn’t know much of anything about it, so I said simply, “I’ll try to answer whatever questions you have the best I can.”

  “Where did this new magic come from?”

  Damn. The one answer I knew was just the one I wasn’t eager to share.

  My arms went around her, and I pulled her close. “The answer to that is a bit awkward. Let’s not spoil the mood. We can discuss it after.” I moved in for another kiss.

  She put the palm of her hand against my chest. Firmly.

  “Templeton.”

  “Okay, fine, but you’re not going to like it.”

  She grinned. “Intriguing. Do go on.”

  “The magic came from the Shadow Sorceress,” I said. “Lill stole it from her.”

  Mireen’s grin fell, shattered into little pieces. “Who did what?”

  I sighed, and then told her the whole story, the short version – Ilga’s men assaulting us in the Poet’s Quarter, the flight from Tul Agnon, and my nearly freezing to death.

  A pause.

  Then she laughed. “So when you saw her coming toward you earlier this evening …”

  “I was bracing myself to be murdered, yes.”

  Mireen laughed again. “You did seem flustered when daddy introduced you.”

  “I generally find my imminent demise a bit flustering.”

  “Audacious of you to show up at a reception thrown in her honor.”

  “An unfortunate coincidence,” I assured her. “But the fact is that I know very little of the Shadow Sorceress’s magic except that it seems very different from Lill’s ink magic. If your sister is an ink mage, then you know of the Prime, yes?”

  “The first tattoo,” Mireen said. “It unlocks the magic, allows access to the spirit. It makes all the other tattoos possible.”

  “Exactly. And each tattoo affords the ink mage a new power – a very specific power. The Shadow Sorceress would seem to have only a single power, almost like the ability to control darkness itself. But this single power can be manipulated and used in a number of ways. At least, that’s what I infer.”

  Mireen looked away, nibbled her bottom lip.

  “I really don’t know more than that,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’ve never seen the Shadow Sorceress in action.” She spoke absently, still looking away. “I’ve only heard rumors, but these rumors make her sound … formidable.”

  I supposed scary as shit and formidable were more or less the same thing, but I didn’t say that. I sat quietly and let her think.

  A moment later, her eyes came back to me, slow warmth creeping back into her smile. “Well, if that’s all you can tell me, then it would seem we’re done talking.”

  We melted into each other. Her lips found mine again but pressed harder this time, heat replacing tenderness, tongues exploring. Her thin fingers began working the buttons of my doublet.

  A hard knock at the door made us both jump.

  You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

  Mireen looked at me, eyes widening. She whispered, “It could be my father.”

  It could be my father along with that’s my husband were words that never failed to trigger a certain level of anxiety.

  I thought briefly about the window, but we were several stories up, so that was out. I hurried her into the wardrobe and closed the door. It was a terrible and obvious hiding place, but there was nothing else for it.

  I smoothed my doublet, taking a deep breath and letting it out. I unlocked the door and opened it, preparing an innocent and friendly greeting for Duke Hammish.

  Lill entered, shutting the door behind her.

  I gawked. “What are you doing … how did you find …” There was no point asking. Lill had her ways, and if she wanted to find me, she would. It was that simple. Instead, I asked, “Did you find your wizard? Was he helpful?”

  “I found him,” Lill said. “As I suspected, the shadow magic is not compatible with the tattoo magic. There are similarities to the way the magic is accessed, but that’s all.”

  “A shame. In that case, where are we going next? I suppose we’re off to some cursed swamp or something where there’s rumored to be a lost tattoo.”

  “No.” Lill shook her head. “I’ve come to say goodbye.”

  That took me by surprise. I cleared my throat. “May I ask why?

  “It is time for me to return home. There’s a ship leaving from Harran’s Bay. It’s not a commercial vessel, so I can’t simply book passage. I might try to stow away.”

  The creak of an old hinge, and Lill’s sword flashed from its sheath. She turned to the wardrobe, lowered the weapon when she saw Mireen step out.

  Lill’s eyes narrowed and slid back to me. “You are consistent, Templeton. I’ll give you that.”

  I didn’t bother looking embarrassed.

  “Stowing away might work,” Mireen said. “Or you might get caught. I can make sure you get on board, even have your own cabin.”

  Lill sheathed her weapon. “That would be preferable. You are a person who can arrange such a thing?”

  “Oh yes.” Mireen smiled sweetly. “But first, let’s talk about this shadow magic.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Knarr and I rode into town together,” Lill had told us. “He takes many of his meals at a place called The Golden Toad. He’s there now. If I hurry, I might still catch him. Catch up quickly. And we shall see if he will perform the task.”

  And she’d gone, like a cold wind sweeping through and onward.

  Lill and Mireen had struck their agreement as I’d stood with my mouth hanging open like a dimwit. Mireen had quickly fetched a dark cloak to throw over her gown. She pulled the hood forward to hide her face from casual viewing as we made the short walk from the castle, snow filling the cracks of the cobblestone streets.

  “Don’t you think you’re being a bit rash?” I whispered to her.

  “There’s a certain momentum to things,” she replied. “The opportunity is now.”

  We entered the Golden Toad, an upscale eatery in the aristocratic part of town. At this late hour, the crowd had thinned, and it was easy to
spot Lill and the wizard at a table near the back.

  Knarr was dark skinned, head bald and glistening, face clean shaved. Deep lines across his forehead and at his eyes suggested age. His robes were heavy, woolen, and dyed a garish red tending to pink. A half-eaten chicken sat on the plate in front of him.

  He saw Mireen and made to rise from his chair. “Milady.”

  “No formalities please, Knarr,” Mireen said. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I haven’t seen you at court.”

  Mireen and I took our seats at the table.

  “Court Magician is something of a courtesy title. You father sends for me when he has need.” Knarr turned to me. “I don’t believe we’ve met, my lord.”

  A polite nod. “Templeton Kane at your service.”

  “It’s through Templeton I learned that Lill had come to see you,” Mireen explained.

  “Ask the wizard your questions,” Lill said. “He can answer better than I.”

  Mireen leaned in and lowered her voice. “Lill has already told you what I want to know, yes?”

  Knarr spread his hands awkwardly. “Forgive me, milady. In a place like Klaar, I am learned. When considering the whole world, I am not counted among the great wizards. I’ve studied, yes, including seven years at the university in Tul Agnon. The magic we’re talking about was part of that study, but it wasn’t my specialty. There may be … nuances.”

  “Your best is all anyone can ask,” Mireen assured him. “You won’t be held responsible.”

  “Your father might not see it the same way.”

  “You’re hoping daddy will sponsor an expedition, yes?” Mireen asked. “A ship and men and supplies to explore someplace in the Scattered Isles.”

  “A place Maurizan visited many years ago. Much history there and mysterious artifacts,” Knarr said. “I hadn’t realized you’d been made aware of this. Did Maurizan tell you? Is she back in Klaar?”

  Mireen shook her head. “I heard daddy talking to mum about it. He seemed on the fence. I could probably talk him around … one way or another.”

  Knarr sat back in his chair, smiling. “I think we have an understanding.”

  “Will the tattoo work on me?” Mireen asked. “Or do I need to be tested like an ink mage.”

  Knarr held up a finger. “The first thing? It is not a tattoo. I would not be using ink, but some sort of potion, an unknown concoction. I would paint runes with it down your spine. In this way, it is similar to tattooing the Prime, and, from a distance, might even appear to be a tattoo. But the potion burns into your skin. You’d be more branded than tattooed. I have no first-hand experience, but I imagine it’s as painful as it sounds.”

  Mireen’s face went tight with thought. I hoped Knarr’s warning about the pain might be the end of it. Surely there were other risks too. My vote was that we forget all about this shadow magic business and reacquaint ourselves with the jug of wine in my room.

  Although I was acutely aware I didn’t get a vote.

  A crooked, half-smile spread itself across Mireen’s face. “I’ve been comfortable and safe for far too long. Let’s see what I’m made of.”

  A shrug from Knarr. “As to the question of whether or not you have to be tested, I can only offer educated guesses.”

  “Let’s hear them.”

  “In a few superficial ways, the ink magic and she shadow magic are similar,” Knarr said. “The runes down the back, for example, act in the same way, unlocking … hmmm, how to explain it?” He tugged at an earlobe, faced scrunched with consideration. “Think of them as gateways. The Prime unlocks a gateway to something within an ink mage. That’s why they need to be tested. There is some intangible quality in an ink mage, something she accesses through the Prime.

  “Shadow magic is different. Something is being accessed outside the person, darkness itself. I won’t predict if it will work or not, milady. You might have painful runes down your back for nothing.”

  Mireen nodded solemnly. “You’ve made me fully aware of the possibilities, Knarr. Consider yourself absolved.”

  “If you please, milady, there’s more,” Knarr said. “And this isn’t based on anything I’ve studied. It’s merely a gut instinct. There is nothing particularly malevolent about darkness itself, and yet it contains something sinister. Evil always seeks refuge in the darkness, and when you touch the darkness, you’re touching everything else that also touches it. The Shadow Sorceress certainly, but who knows what else.”

  Pale hands flashed in an out of her cloak, and suddenly there was a brown chuma stick between two of Mireen’s thin fingers. She stuck it in her mouth. She reached across the table for the candle, brought it up to the chuma stick, the flame wobbling with the slight tremble in her hands. She puffed once, twice, three times, then set the candle down again.

  Mireen tilted her head back and blew a long stream of smoke at the ceiling, and with it went all of her fear and hesitation. Or maybe that’s just how it seemed to me, for when she looked at Knarr again, there was a hard determination in her eyes.

  “How long will it take?”

  “I can’t be sure. The runes must be exact. It’s not something I’d want to rush.”

  “Then the sooner we get started the better,” Mireen said.

  Knarr made a resigned noise, not a grunt, not quite a sigh. “Very well, milady. It’s a long walk to Backgate and then up to my tower. I’ll ride ahead and make preparations. I suggest you fetch your horses as soon as you can and follow.”

  “My horse is stabled next to Knarr’s,” Lill said. “I’ll ride with him as far as Backgate. I can wait and escort her ladyship from there.”

  Mireen cleared her throat, suddenly looking pale. “It’s settled then.”

  Knarr rose from the table, nodded to Mireen, and then left. Lill followed.

  Mireen sat, staring at nothing, puffing nervously on the chuma stick. She saw me watching her and forced a laugh. “What? You’ve never seen anybody make a terrible decision before?”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  We rode in silence through Klaar, our horses side by side. The snow had stopped. The clip-clop of horse hooves echoed along the empty street.

  Finally, I said, “You don’t have to do this. Not just to keep up with your sister.”

  Mireen sighed, shaking her head. “You don’t know me, Templeton. We’ve only just met.”

  “My worry is that there won’t be an opportunity to get to know you better.”

  “Let me ask you this,” Mireen said. “You have money. Plenty of it, I gather. You’re free, no wife or family tying you down. You can go anywhere you want and do anything you like, so why do you follow around that muscled, blonde ink mage? Does she care for you? I’ve seen no evidence of it.”

  I bristled. “As you say. We’ve only just met.”

  “There’s something in me that’s incomplete, and I’ve tried to fill that void with fine wine and chuma sticks and pretty clothes and men who’ve caught my fancy,” Mireen said. “It’s time to try something else.”

  Her words hit close to home, and we lapsed into silence.

  We crossed into the Backgate neighborhood, uncreatively named for the fact the back gate to the city was located there. Lill waited for us in the courtyard of the gate itself, sitting astride her horse. Mireen and I reined in our horses next to hers.

  “They’ll open the gate for you?” Lill asked.

  A condescending smile from Mireen, her at her most spoiled. I must admit I found it appealing. She knew who she was and how she acted, was perfectly aware of the side of her she was showing me. She was the young and beautiful, privileged daughter of the duke, and she wielded her position like a blunt instrument. And yet I’d just seen a vulnerability too, one she admitted freely.

  “Who’s in there?” Mireen called up to the guardhouse over the gate. “Open up! We want through the gate.”

  A shudder opened, and a man stuck his head out, looked down at us. Face wrinkled, bags under the eyes, gray creeping into his beard. “What? T
his time of night? Push off.”

  “I think you’d best fetch your officer,” Mireen suggested. “Who is it? Kaygen?”

  The guard’s eyes narrowed at the mention of the name. “What is this then? Something important?”

  “Fetch him,” she said coolly. “Now.”

  He looked us all over one more time then vanished.

  We waited.

  A few moments later, another head stuck itself out the window. A fair-haired man, my age or perhaps a year younger, chiseled features making him obscenely handsome.

  I hated him immediately.

  “Miri?” Kaygen’s eyes flicked to me and Lill. “Er, I mean, milady.”

  “I thought it might be you,” Mireen said. “We need to get through the gate, Kaygen.”

  Kaygen looked pained. “Milady, I’m not sure your father would—”

  “Kaygen.”

  He frowned and disappeared only to appear a moment later at the base of the guard house, the heavy wooden door swinging open to let out Kaygen and two of his men. He directed them to slide back the heavy bar holding the gate closed.

  Kaygen stood next to Mireen’s horse, looking up at her. It was clear in his eyes he wanted to say more than propriety would allow. I knew that look all too well.

  “Are you taking the Small Road, milady?” he asked.

  “No,” Mireen said. “The path up to Knarr’s tower.”

  Kaygen shifted from foot to foot, clearly not liking what he was hearing but knowing he couldn’t really object. “If you can wait a moment, milady, I could arrange an escort.”

  “No,” Lill said.

  Kaygen frowned. Mireen he deferred to. Lill he didn’t know,

  “It’s not necessary,” Mireen told him.

  Kaygen stood aside and commanded his men to throw the gate open. I maneuvered my horse to follow Mireen and Lill.

  Lill turned her head abruptly to look back at me. “Not you.”

  I blinked. “Not me what?”

  “You can’t come.”

  “Fuck that.”

  “Knarr specifically forbade it,” Lill told me. “He said he knew a slick opportunist when he saw one, and there’d already been far too much traffic to and from his tower lately. His words.”