Ghost in the Glass

by Jonathan Moeller

  Libavya Jordizi’s poisonous evil had festered in the city for years, but no more.

  There was no trace of Antonin Crailov.

  Chapter 19: Father and Daughter

  Two mornings after the fight at the sanitarium, Caina awoke to a quiet knocking at her door in the Szlacht’s Sword.

  She blinked open her eyes and looked around. Kylon lay next to her, still asleep. The fire in the hearth had died to coals, though it still radiated heat. Pale gray morning sunlight leaked through the shuttered windows. Caina rose, wrapped herself in a robe, and crossed to the door as the soft knocking came again.

  “Who is it?” she said in Ulkaari.

  “It is Sophia, my lady,” came the girl’s voice. “I thought you might like some breakfast.”

  Caina opened the door and smiled, and Sophia stepped inside. She held a tray with a kettle and a plate of food, and she crossed the room and set it on the bed.

  “Thank you, Sophia,” said Caina. “That’s very thoughtful.”

  “I’m afraid it wasn’t my idea,” said Sophia. “Mistress Theodosia suggested that you might like a good breakfast before you go talk to the High Brother.”

  Caina nodded. “You’ll come with us.”

  “Me?” said Sophia.

  “When we get to Iramis, you’re going to be trained as a loremaster,” said Caina. “I’m afraid that means you’ll need to know how to talk to everyone from high lords to commoners.”

  “Or,” said Kylon, yawning as he sat up, “fat old High Brothers who pretend to be drunken wastrels.”

  Sophia flushed a little, trying not to look at his bare torso. “Er…yes, Lord Kylon.”

  “Or your liege lady’s husband,” said Caina. “Go get ready. I’ll see you in about an hour.”

  Sophia bowed and withdrew from the room. Caina sat cross-legged on the bed next to Kylon, poured him a cup of tea, and then one for herself. She winced a little as she took a taste. It was foul, but it was hot.

  “I’ll say this for the Ulkaari,” said Caina, switching to the Kyracian she used when she was alone with Kylon. “They brew a strong breakfast tea.”

  “Aye, it could raise the dead,” said Kylon. He took a sip and grimaced. “Though I think if Cazmar had drunk this stuff, he would have crawled right back into that glass coffin of his.”

  “That would have saved us some time,” said Caina, running her free hand down his back. The skin felt soft and warm beneath her fingers. She remembered watching him fight Cazmar, and fear pulsed through her at the thought of how close she had come to losing him. Since she was touching him, he sensed the emotion, and he reached back and took her hand in his own.

  “And it would have saved you the trouble,” said Kylon, “of burning down Libavya’s sanitarium.”

  Caina laughed. He was trying to distract her, but it was working. “It was the best of the available options and you know it. Basarab could hardly go to the Voivode and say that Libavya raised his undead ancestor and got killed in the process. There are too many Umbarian magi in the Voivode’s court. For that matter, Gregor supports the Temnoti, and Basarab could hardly tell him that Libavya and three Temnoti priests got killed. No, burning down the mansion was the best choice. It’ll be a mystery. Lady Libavya throws all her guests out of her sanitarium, disappears, and then a fire guts the place. Maybe the Ulkaari will turn it into one of those grisly plays they love so much.”

  “When we get back to Iramis,” said Kylon, “I’ll have to tell Morgant how many buildings you burned down in Ulkaar.”

  Caina laughed again. “You wouldn’t.”

  “There was that mill in Kostiv,” said Kylon, “and now an entire mansion in Vagraastrad. I ought to have a wager with Seb. See how many buildings you can burn down before we…”

  “Just stop,” said Caina, though she laughed as she said it. “And to be totally accurate, I didn’t burn down the sanitarium. I just suggested it to Basarab and Calugar. They did all the work.”

  “True,” said Kylon. He took a piece of bread from the tray. “When discussing arson, I suppose we should be accurate.”

  “Yes,” said Caina. “Otherwise you’ll lose that bet with Seb.” She grinned. “Though if you tell me the wager, I’ll make sure to burn down just enough buildings so that you win.”

  “That would be cheating,” said Kylon with a laugh.

  They lapsed into silence as they ate breakfast. The Ulkaari tea might have been foul-tasting, but it did wake her up, and the bread and sausage were good.

  “You were right, though,” said Caina.

  “About what?” said Kylon.

  “The iceberg,” said Caina.

  “Icebergs?” said Kylon, and then he nodded. “I remember. The conversation we had the day we met Teodor.”

  “I thought we would just pass through Vagraastrad,” said Caina. “Then we found Teodor…and there turned out to be so much more beneath the surface.” She pulled up the right sleeve of her robe and looked at the Ring. She had bound it to her right wrist with a leather cord, keeping it in contact with her skin so her nature as a valikarion suppressed its malignant aura. “I wonder how many more icebergs are lurking beneath the water.”

  “Hopefully we can avoid them,” said Kylon.

  “Aye,” said Caina.

  “But we did a good thing here,” said Kylon. “Libavya killed hundreds of people, and Cazmar would have killed much more. Now that’s all over.”

  “Yes,” said Caina. She squeezed his hand. “Thanks to you.”

  Kylon shrugged. “You’re the clever one. I just fight people.”

  “But I wouldn’t have lived long enough to be clever without you,” said Caina.

  They stared at each other.

  “We should get dressed,” said Kylon.

  “Yes,” said Caina. She leaned over and kissed him. “We just have to do something first.”

  ###

  Later that morning, Theodosia walked with Caina, Kylon, Sophia, Ilona, and Seb into the Temple of the Old City. Ilona walked next to her in silence, her eyes distant. Her near-death experience in the catacombs beneath the sanitarium had shaken her badly. Well, maybe that was for the best. Ilona was a confident young woman who had gotten herself out of many dangerous situations with her wits, but self-confidence needed to be tempered with a little fear.

  Basarab, Calugar, Teodor, and Svetlana awaited them near the dais and the altar. Theodosia had expected Svetlana to don the severe black robes of a sister of the Imperial Magisterium, but instead, she wore a black skirt, white shirt, and red vest of Ulkaari design. It made her look no different than any other woman of Vagraastrad, which Theodosia supposed was the point. The Umbarians might react badly if they knew a sister of the Magisterium was in Vagraastrad.

  “Welcome, my friends,” said Basarab. He had donned his rough brown robes once more. “I have spoken with the Voivode, and you will be pleased to know that he is utterly baffled.”

  Caina laughed. “I suppose that is his normal state.”

  Theodosia nodded. “The Voivode, I fear, is a man whose ambition is regrettably not matched by his intellect.”

  “Just as well,” said Caina. “Better that the Umbarians have inept allies than formidable ones.”

  “The Voivode summoned me,” said Basarab, “and asked if I had any knowledge of what happened to Libavya Jordizi. It seems that since Libavya threw out all her guests, there were no witnesses to her fate. I confessed to ignorance to Libavya’s fate – entirely truthfully, since I did not actually witness Cazmar kill her – and then preached an impromptu sermon on the dangers of meddling with dark powers. It was one of my better oratorical efforts, I think.”

  “A pity I was absent,” said Seb. “I should have liked to have heard it.”

  “But I believe we are safe from suspicion,” said Basarab. “The Voivode clearly has no idea who killed Libavya. I think the Umbarians suspect that she destroyed herself playing with sorcery beyond her ability to control.”

  “They’re not enti
rely wrong,” said Caina.

  “Certainly, they have no idea that the Balarigar was involved with the matter,” said Basarab. “Or you and your theater company, madam.” Theodosia was relieved. Ilona and a few others knew that she was a Ghost circlemaster, but many of the others did not, and she would hate for them to suffer because of it. “I think you can leave Vagraastrad without having to worry about the Voivode’s soldiers harrying you.”

  “What about Crailov?” said Caina.

  “He seems to have disappeared,” said Basarab. “The Voivode was most annoyed.”

  “Some of the witchfinders saw him running for the doors after Cazmar and the ardivids appeared,” said Calugar. “My guess is he thought we would lose and wanted to save himself.”

  “No,” said Caina. “No, he claimed that Talmania Scorneus had hired him to kill Libavya.” Seb frowned at the mention of his aunt, as he always did. “Once he realized that Libavya was dead, there was no reason for him to stay. Likely he ran back to Risiviri to take credit and collect his reward from Talmania Scorneus.”

  “Most probably,” said Basarab.

  Theodosia said nothing, something dark stirring within her heart. The murderer of her son was in Risiviri, and they were departing for that city tomorrow. Talmania had accidentally summoned Caina to Ulkaar during her search for the Ring of Rasarion Yagar. When Crailov made his report to Talmania, almost certainly he would tell her about Caina and the Ring.

  Would Talmania come for Caina at Risiviri?

  Perhaps Talmania would meet her fate as Cazmar Vagastru had, perishing beneath the edge of Kylon’s valikon.

  Or maybe Talmania would kill them all.

  Or perhaps Theodosia would finally have the chance to avenge her son.

  “Lady Caina,” said Teodor, cutting into Theodosia’s dark musings.

  The old witchfinder stepped forward. The recovery of his daughter had repaired almost all his memory loss. Likely he would carry the mental scars for the rest of his life, but he seemed to have regained himself.

  “I wish to thank you for my life, and for my daughter’s life,” said Teodor. “If you had not intervened, we would have both perished. The reveniri would have torn me apart, and Svetlana would have died when that fool Libavya opened the vyrkolak’s tomb.”

  “I am glad that you are both safe,” said Caina. “You’re both staying here, I assume?”

  “Yes,” said Svetlana. “The Magisterium fears that war is coming between Boyar Mircea and Voivode Gregor. If Gregor wins the coming conflict, he will present Ulkaar to the Umbarian Order. That will be a heavy blow against the Emperor. We will stay to assist the High Brother in his efforts to defend the people of Vagraastrad…and to act against the Voivode if he marches on Risiviri.”

  “Then I wish you both good fortune,” said Caina, “and the blessings of the Divine.”

  Theodosia felt a burst of pride. Svetlana was a magus of the Magisterium, and once Caina would not have been able to talk to such a woman without seething hate. Now she looked calm, almost regal. Oh, yes, indeed, Halfdan would be proud of the angry girl he and Theodosia had turned into a weapon. Caina was the one who had brought Basarab and Theodosia together, and she was the one who had been the architect of Libavya’s defeat and Cazmar’s death. Now Vagraastrad was free of the reveniri, and an ancient horror had been defeated before it could rise again.

  Yes, Halfdan would have been proud of her.

  ###

  Seb followed the others as they walked through the chill streets of the New City back to the Szlacht’s Sword.

  Tomorrow the theater company would leave Vagraastrad for Risiviri, and Caina, Kylon, Sophia, and Seb would travel with them. It would be the journey of a week to reach Risiviri, and then they would take ship and leave Ulkaar.

  And hopefully, they would take the Ring forever out of Talmania’s reach.

  A grim resolution settled over Seb.

  Antonin Crailov had slipped away, and he was working for Seb’s aunt. The wily assassin would tell everything to Talmania, and she would be waiting for them in Risiviri. Talmania was a provost of the Umbarian Order, and she could command the Adamant Guards and the Silent Hunters and the Order’s other creatures. Though she hardly needed them – she was a sorceress of terrible power, deadly and potent.

  Seb realized that in another week he might finally have the chance to face the woman who had murdered his wife.

  He followed the others, lost in his dark thoughts, and then realized that he was walking next to Ilona. She was a beautiful woman, he admitted to himself, though right now she looked…almost lost, her expression distant.

  “Are you all right, madam?” said Seb.

  Ilona blinked a few times and smiled at him. “Of course.”

  He waited.

  Her smile faded. “No. No, I’m not. I…fear I failed, Lord Sebastian.”

  “What do you mean?” said Seb. “I fail to see how. Your assistance was invaluable.”

  “Hardly,” said Ilona. “No…I’ve been in many dangerous situations before, yes? You understand.”

  “I do,” said Seb. “I’ve been in a few myself.”

  “And I’ve always kept my head,” said Ilona. “I’ve always found a way out. But this time…when the Temnoti cast that mind-controlling spell on me, I was helpless. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t run, I couldn’t fight. I haven’t been that helpless since I was a child.”

  “Fortunate that you had an Arvaltyr with you,” said Seb.

  “Yes, it was,” said Ilona. “Because if she hadn’t been there, they would have killed me. I’ve not…I’ve always escaped on my own before, Lord Sebastian. I’ve never had to rely on someone before.” Her eyes were haunted. “But if not for Lady Caina, I would be dead.”

  “No one can stand on their own forever,” said Seb. “And if you find yourself in trouble again, I would be glad to help you.”

  Her black eyes met his. “Would you? Would you really?”

  “Yes,” said Seb.

  He did not look away.

  Ilona broke the gaze first, looking down and smiling. “Thank you, Lord Sebastian.”

  “I think,” said Seb, “that I would prefer it if you called me Seb.”

  ###

  Ilona contemplated what to do next as she walked next to Sebastian Scorneus.

  She hadn’t lied to him. Every word she had told him had been the truth. For that matter, she hadn’t lied to Caina, or to Theodosia, or to the Ghosts.

  Ilona just hadn’t told them the entire truth.

  One of her secrets simmered at the back of her mind, waiting for her to call it forth.

  Caina had her duty, as did Theodosia. Both Seb and Theodosia wanted revenge against Talmania Scorneus. Ilona would help them in their duty and their revenge, for they shared the same goals.

  She, too, wanted the Ring of Rasarion Yagar out of Ulkaar and safely in the Towers of Lore in Iramis.

  For the duty of defending Ulkaar from the Temnoti and the return of the Iron King had been passed down from Bronze Witch to Bronze Witch over the centuries, the duty along with the bronze pyrikon staff, and Ilona did not wish to fail in her solemn and sacred trust.

  She had told the truth to Caina and Seb. The Temnoti had murdered her mother and father and then almost killed her. What Ilona hadn’t mentioned was that the Bronze Witch had saved her. The old woman had taken her in, trained her as an apprentice, and when Magda had died, she had passed the staff and the mantle of the Bronze Witch to her.

  Ilona hoped the old woman would approve of the decisions she had made since.

  She vowed not to fail, to get the Ring out of Ulkaar and to Iramis.

  And Caina Kardamnos and her husband were Ilona’s best chance of succeeding. Ilona had known that ever since she had seen them bring ruin upon the head of Razdan Nagrach.

  So she followed them back to the inn.

  Chapter 20: The Road Ahead

  The next morning, Theodosia’s theater company started its journey south, and Caina, K
ylon, Seb, and Sophia accompanied them, bringing up the back with their two wagons. Seb drove the first wagon, and Caina the second.

  “All right,” said Caina in Caerish, pointing at a boulder. “The Ulkaari word for that is…valun.”

  Sophia smiled. “Yes, my lady.”

  “And the Istarish word?”

  Sophia thought for a bit. “Ah…ormani?”

  “That’s a forest,” said Caina.

  “Wait!” said Sophia. “Asinmis, that’s it.”

  “That’s right,” said Caina.

  “The sun’s barely been up an hour,” said Seb, “and you’re already tormenting the poor girl with language lessons?”

  “It is not a torment, Lord Sebastian,” protested Sophia. “I need to learn Istarish when I go to Iramis.”

  “If you really want to torment someone,” said Caina, “you could go talk to Ilona some more.” Seb tried to scowl but looked too embarrassed. “She did seem fond of your company.”

  “I do hope my company isn’t too much of a torment,” said Seb.

  Kylon grunted. “Depends if you try to sing or not.”

  Caina grinned. She was a long way from her friends, in a strange and dangerous country she had never visited before. An ancient relic of evil power was tied around her wrist, and powerful enemies wanted to kill her and claim it.

  But she was with her husband, and she quite liked the half-brother she had never known existed.

  Things could have been so much worse.

  Epilogue: Whispering Skulls

  “Please,” said Talmania Scorneus. “Seat yourself.”

  Antonin Crailov knew better than to argue with her. He lifted the tails of his long coat and sat in one of the wooden chairs before her desk, adjusting the scabbard of the Sword so it did not scratch the wood.