by Ben Hale
“This is the fate that awaits Lumineia,” she said. “This is what the world will look like. And all of our magic will be for nothing against the Krey Empire.”
“If Wylyn opens the Gate,” he said.
“Yes,” she said. “And I cannot let it happen again. Not to Lumineia. I failed to stop Wylyn’s arrival, and if I fail again . . .”
On impulse, he reached out and gathered her into his arms. “You are not alone this time.”
He expected her to pull away, but she leaned against him, her head on his neck, her arms around his waist. He could feel the strength of her body, yet now she was not the warrior, she was a woman afraid for the loss of her home.
He looked over her shoulder at the desolate Renara, and shared in her ache. To witness such a fate would leave a scar, and he now understood her reaction at seeing the destroyed village. She’d seen a glimpse of the future if she failed to stop Wylyn.
His thoughts were drawn to Lumineia, to his friends and family. If the krey invaded, the fragments would fight, but he’d seen the might of a construct, and wondered if even Draeken could survive such a duel.
A cold resolve settled into his chest. The people did not know the threat they faced, could not understand the danger Wylyn posed, but he and Lira would stop at nothing to protect them from Renara’s fate.
Abruptly Lira retreated. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have . . .”
“I don’t mind,” he said, and flashed a faint smile. “But now that I know what we face, we need to return and find Wylyn. She is vulnerable until she opens a Gate.”
“But where do we go?” she asked.
“To the Ravens,” he said. “We can get more information from the thieves.”
“You really think we can find Wylyn?”
“We can together,” he said, offering his hand.
She accepted it, and this time with a firm grip. Still close, he could feel the heat from her body, and a yearning to draw closer. A flicker of desire appeared in her gaze before she released her hand and stepped toward the rear of the chamber. She reached into her pocket and activated the Gate.
“Can I ask why you created a Gate to come here?” he asked.
“Sometimes I need a reminder,” she said, and her eyes lingered on him. “A reminder not to get attached.”
“How many have you brought here?” he asked.
“You are the first.” She activated the Gate and it flowed across the wall.
“Careful,” he said, stepping past her. “I’m easy to get attached to.”
She snorted and looked to the ruins of Renara. Then she turned and stepped with him back onto the empty road. She deactivated the Gate and pocketed the mirror, and he breathed deeply of the air. It carried a tinge of smoke, reminding him of the proximity to the village.
As they took their journey south he stole frequent glances at his companion. They spoke little, but it seemed she was lighter than she’d been before, and there was an openness about her that implied a connection had been forged. But that openness brought a tightening to her jaw, and he saw the determination in her gaze.
His thoughts returned to Renara often, and as they walked among the trees he imagined fire raining down from krey vessels, burning the trees to ash. He saw smoke billowing up from their cities, of men and women carted off like cattle. The resolve in his chest turned into fire. He would not let that happen.
Chapter 30: An Unexpected Ally
Water and Lira worked their way south and crossed the Blue River into Talinor. At first, both carried the weight of what they’d seen on Renara, and Water found his optimism had been sapped. But with the sun shining and Lira as his companion, the burden of what he’d witnessed gradually faded, so by the time they reached Keese, his gaze was fixed on what lay ahead.
They reached the city of Keese in the waning hours of the day, the dark clouds heralding a storm. They’d set a grueling pace and both were tired, the sight of the city a welcome reprieve from the road. As they approached the city, his gaze lifted to the city wall, a new addition.
Built of white sea stone, the wall circled the coastal city. Strategically located close to the river leading to Blue Lake, and bordering a natural cove, the city of Keese didn’t need the wall to protect from without. They needed it to protect against threats from within, and many of the patrols watched the streets.
“During the mage wars, Keese was a hive of corruption,” Water explained. “It was so rampant that the king all but abandoned it to the thieves and mercenary guilds. Since then, Talinor has been fighting a quiet war with the thieves and brigands. Many have gone into hiding, but they still harbor a grudge against the king, and skirmishes are frequent.”
“And the Ravens?” she asked.
“A rival to the Thieves Guild,” he said. “They are more mercenaries than thieves, and are willing to steal, destroy, or kill for a price. They’ve been battling the Thieves Guild for the last twenty years.”
“And you think they are allied with Wylyn?”
“The Ravens know everything that happens in the region,” he said as they entered through the city gates. “But we’ll have to find them first.”
“You don’t already know where they are?”
“Shadow probably does,” he said. “But they move a lot to keep the guards from finding them.”
“So where do we start?”
He flashed a smile. “We need to get robbed.”
“How do we do that?”
“We have to get married.”
She burst into a laugh and leaned close. “I’d need a ring for that.”
His heart thumped in his chest but he managed to stay focused. “Exactly.”
She raised a confused eyebrow, so he turned north and explained his plan. Shortly after, they were exiting an elven glass shop, and she sported a very realistic looking ring on her finger. It glittered like a diamond, but at a fraction of the cost. Now dressed in the garb of minor nobles, they departed the wealthy section of the city for the north side.
Shaped like a crescent moon, the city followed the curve of the coast. The south end contained the Duke’s small castle and the homes of the wealthy. Upscale merchants also found a home in the south. The center of the city was all waterfront, with ships arriving and departing from throughout Lumineia. The northern curve of Keese had been claimed by the remnants of the thieves and thugs, and guards only entered in large numbers.
As they worked their way through the cobblestone streets, the buildings took on a seedier look, the white stone being replaced with aged wood and stones stained black. The people too, gained a grungier air, with many looking at them with greed in their eyes.
“So we just wait?” she asked, eying a pair of young men sitting outside a tavern.
Water resisted the urge to punish them for their leering looks. “It shouldn’t take long.”
A woman stepped out of an alley and blocked their way. “Seems to me the two of you are lost.” She flashed a smile, but absent the teeth, the expression did not lend itself to comfort.
“Just looking for someone,” Water said.
“Can we help?”
Water turned as a small knot of men appeared behind them. Four in number, they sauntered close, and one tapped the hilt of his dagger. “Perhaps you need an escort.”
“No escort needed,” Lira said.
“Then I’m afraid you’ll have to pay the toll for your passage,” the woman said. She drew a dagger and used it to clean her fingernails.
“Actually, you might be able to help us,” Water said. “We’d like to find the Ravens.”
The woman laughed. “Foolish questions from foolish men.” She jerked her chin to her companions. “Take everything they have.”
Water cast his water staff and struck the ground, sending a wave of frost blasting outward. The ice spread up the bodies of the four behind and the woman in front, freezing them where they stood. Shouts rang out from the bystanders nearby, and most beat a hasty retreat.
One of the men cursed and Water turned to find a thief with a sword extended towards Water’s back. His arm, frozen and covered with ice, would not budge, and the man shouted profanities. Water merely smiled and stepped to the frozen woman.
“You did offer aid,” he said. “And we’d like to accept.”
“I’ll gut you like a fish,” she sneered, struggling to free her hands, the dagger still poised to clean her nails.
“The ice takes time to melt,” he said, and glanced to the dark sky. “Even if it rains. You can remain and gain a chill, or tell us what we want to know.”
“Or I can do more than make you cold,” Lira said, her tone hard as she placed her sword on the woman’s chest. The sound of the blade scrapping across the ice sounded harsh in the street, and the woman grimaced.
“What do you want with the Ravens?”
“Information only, I assure you,” Water said.
The woman glanced between them, her breath coming in frozen puffs of air. She shivered and then relented. “You can find them in a tavern on the docks, the Shark’s Tooth. Ask for Wenta.”
“You have our gratitude,” Water said, releasing the charm and melting the ice for all five.
The men collapsed to the earth, shivering and cursing. To her credit, the woman remained on her feet. “We helped you,” she said. “Some payment is in order.”
Water and Lira exchanged an amused look at the woman’s boldness, and Lira plucked her ring from her finger. “The price of your information,” she said, and tossed it to her.
Water and Lira strode away, and didn’t turn when the woman shouted, “But it’s a fake!”
“That was more fun than I anticipated,” Lira said.
“They might stab us in the back, you know.”
“That’s what makes it exciting,” she said. “But I think their fear will keep them in check.”
“I’m just glad it didn’t take long,” Water said, yawning.
“Is the great guardian tired?” she teased.
“Aren’t you?” he asked.
She feigned indignance. “I never get tired.” She began to yawn but stifled it, and he stabbed a finger at her lips.
“I saw that.”
“You saw nothing,” she said.
Water grinned and stepped out of the northern district. They headed west to the waterfront and then, after a few inquiries, headed south. As the sun set they reached a surprisingly lavish tavern.
The Shark’s Tooth sat on a pier over the water, allowing ships to dock just feet from its door. Large and boasting a wide balcony on the second floor, the tavern hosted many minor nobles and ships’ captains, the savory scents wafting from the doors indicating the meals were a major draw.
A giant shark hung above the door, its jaws open as if it sought to devour the door. The beast would have been huge in life and inspired no less awe in death. Mages had trapped the flesh in a thin layer of aquaglass, preserving the beast and giving it a visceral look. Still in their noble attire, Water and Lira were ushered inside.
The inside of the tavern was no less lavish than the exterior, with smaller sharks hanging from the ceiling. Glasses clinked and conversation was lit by laughter. The scents coming from the kitchens made his mouth water, and he craned his head to see a plate of spiced fish being served to a ship’s captain.
“I expected something less . . .”
“Rich?” he supplied.
“Why would the Ravens have a presence in such a nice tavern?” she asked, and pointed to the guard captains sitting at a table.
“The Ravens are not traditional thieves,” he said. “And rumor has it, their founder was once a member of the Thieves Guild.”
“But they are not members of the Thieves Guild?”
“The Thieves Guild trains their members well,” Water said, lowering his tone as they took a seat by the window. “They do not accept just anyone. They have rich traditions that date back to before the Mage Wars. They only steal from those with excess.”
“And the Ravens?”
“Rumor has it the Ravens are led by a woman who scorned the restrictions of the guild, and wanted to steal from all. She drew away some of the guild’s members and started her own. It didn’t take her long to destroy the Thieves Guild in Keese, and Shadow has said they seek to destroy the guild completely.”
“Sounds like an angry woman.”
“She’s dangerous,” he said. “Even more so because only the Ravens know her identity, and those caught have been surprisingly loyal, keeping the secret to the grave. Be on your guard. If Wylyn or the dakorians are here . . .”
“I know,” she said. “So perhaps we should maintain the persona of a married couple.”
“I think I need a ring,” he said.
She grinned at his repetition of her words and reached across the table to take his hand. Even though he knew it was just an act, he couldn’t help the thrill of excitement that burned in his chest.
“Maybe we should eat first,” he said. She raised an eyebrow, and he added, “Once we reveal ourselves to the Ravens we might not get a chance to eat.”
“Who am I to argue with such logic?”
He smiled and motioned her to an empty table. As they ordered food from the pretty barmaid, he scanned the room, making note of any he thought could be a threat. But none of the people seemed likely to be a thief, or even a member of the Order.
They talked as they ate, but it seemed she had the same thoughts as he. The fish was divine, a distraction that commanded attention. Perfectly seasoned and fried, the meal washed away any lingering taste of dried nuts and cured meat, the only food they’d had the last few days.
Although the food was delicious, he found his thoughts drawn to Lira, and the last tavern they’d stayed in, when a certain bard had played music that had nearly brought them to a kiss. Although music was absent, this meal felt more intimate, and her smile suggested she felt the same.
Just as they were finishing, he began to wonder if the thief in the north district had given them false information. He savored the last bite and settled back into his seat, scanning the tavern for anyone that might be Wenta.
“We can’t just ask about the Ravens,” he said, eyeing the soldiers at a nearby table.
“Perhaps the barmaid?” she suggested. “She seems to know the patrons well.”
The barmaid was already approaching, but before Water could beckon her closer, she set a key onto the table. “Your room has been paid for,” she said. “I think you’ll find the accommodations to your liking.”
“Wait,” Water said, surprised by the overture. “Who paid for the room?”
“He said he was a friend,” she said.
“What did he look like?”
“Dark hair, a little shorter than you, and he was handsome,” she said, and then flushed, her eyes flicking to Lira and back. “He actually looked a lot like you.”
Water glanced to Lira, but she shrugged in confusion. Water thanked the woman and she left. Collecting the key, he dropped coins on the table and rose to his feet. They threaded their way through the tables to the stairs at the back. Instead of going up, they went down, into the sea.
The aquaglass walls were beautiful, allowing a view of the fish and undersea coral. Then they reached the underwater corridor, the walls, floor, and ceiling all transparent, a faint glow allowing a view of the sharks swimming above them. Water glanced in both directions as he reached the door bearing the number on the key, and then unlocked it.
He glanced to Lira and found her with her air blade in hand. Nodding, he cast his staffblade and then unlocked the door. He swung it open and stepped inside, spinning to scan the entire room. But there was only one occupant.
Lounging in a chair with his feet on the desk, Shadow flashed a smile. “Hello, brother, what brings you to Keese?”
Chapter 31: The Fragment of Shadow
“Shadow,” Water said with a laugh.
He dismissed his staff and stepped forward, Sha
dow rising to embrace him. When they parted Shadow bore a wide smile on his face and rotated to face Lira. He took her hand and kissed it.
“I hope my brother has been treating you well.”
“He has,” she said.
“Not as well as I could, of course,” Shadow said with a sniff. “But he’ll do.”
“What are you doing here?” Water asked.
“Still looking for the ancient map,” Shadow said. “I’ve tracked it to Keese and happened to spot you in the tavern.”
Water shared their tale, including encountering Serak and the battle with the Order underground. He finished by describing the kidnapping of King Numen and Grena, the woman that had told them to come to Keese.
“So you think Wylyn is with the Ravens?” Shadow asked.
“Do you know where they are?” Lira motioned upward. “We were told to speak with Wenta.”
“She is a low-level informant for the Ravens,” Shadow said. He rubbed his chin in thought. “Since we both want the Ravens, perhaps we can help each other.”
“What do you have in mind?” Water asked.
“The Ravens and I are not friends,” Shadow said, “but I need time in their archives, undisturbed.”
“How do we help with that?”
Shadow’s smile was too smug for Water’s liking. “I need you to get caught. While they interrogate you, I can sneak in and find what I need. Then I’ll help you get out.”
“I get my answers, you get yours,” Water said cautiously.
“An interrogation usually involves sharp objects and blood,” Lira said.
“They won’t know who you are,” Shadow said smoothly. “I need ten minutes, no more. The Raven won’t be so hasty to harm you.”
“And if she realizes I look like you?”
“You would be so lucky,” Shadow said with a laugh, stepping to the door. “Just feign ignorance. You’re good at that.”
“Where are you going?” Water asked.
“I have my own room,” he said. “And there’s only one bed here. I guess you’ll have to share.”
