Hand of Justice Boxed Set

by Jace Mitchell

  “It’s not magic?”

  “It’s magic to the people that don’t understand it. Worth calls it magic, but I don’t think he really believes that. To him and his kind, it’s the same as breathing. They just know how to do it. Think about it like this: if someone hadn’t seen you with your sword before, and you came on an army at night, sweepin’ down on ‘em like the damned wind, what do you think they would call you the next day?”

  “A ghost,” Riley answered.

  “Exactly. Simply because people wouldn’t understand how it’s possible. Because a human shouldn’t be able to do that. In reality, you’re made out of flesh and blood just like them, only you’ve practiced and honed your skills. That’s what this is: it’s a skill, one that can be practiced. Instead of flippin’ your sword around, you’re flippin’ energy.”

  Riley shook her head, staring at the floor in front of her. “Worth just tells me to focus; that I’ll find it if I do. That’s what William said he did. Said he just focused and started seeing my face, and poof, his hands were on fire.”

  “Focus is in an important part, but it wasn’t what Rendal told me was the most important.”

  “And what was that?” Riley asked.

  “A goal. The first time he had me create magic, he wanted me to move a rock. Nothing big, just a pebble. He wanted me to pick it up and move it from one edge of the table to the other. He said I had to see the end first. That to see the rock where it currently was would only make it harder.”

  Riley’s eyes narrowed. “My only goal is to get Mason back.”

  Lucie grinned. “All this concern for Mason! I wonder if maybe ye ain’t wantin’ a bit more than to only be his Right Hand.”

  “No!” Riley shouted, mortified.

  “I’m kiddin’ ya, girl. Calm down before you bring the whole ship in here. Now look.” Lucie moved her head, nodding at the lamps on the walls that lit the room. “I want those candles to darken, so I first see it in my mind. I see the room growing darker. I see the shadows creeping across your face. I see…”

  But then they were in it. The room was darker. Riley looked at the lamps, which had grown very dim. One was out.

  “You try,” Lucie said. “Try to bring them back to life.”

  Riley nodded and closed her eyes. She focused all her attention on the lights she saw in her mind. They were dark, and she wanted them to be brighter. She watched as the flames grew taller inside her head, the lamps driving away all the shadows in the room.

  Yes, it was working.

  She saw the room as she wanted it.

  Riley opened her eyes.

  Shadows still reigned around her. Lucie still stood across the room, her face troubled.

  “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I promise. The potential is in you, and there’s nothing that you can do about that. There’s no way to put a cap on the bottle.”

  “I need to be able to use it, though. To direct it. My sword, even with whatever Worth has done to it, won’t be enough.”

  “Hush now. I don’t wanna hear nothin’ else like that.” Lucie walked across the room. She put her hand on Riley’s shoulder. “I pulled you from the street when you were nothin’ but an urchin without two coins to rub together. Now you’re a Right Hand, one of only two. You’ve been enough your whole damned life, and you’re gonna keep being enough. I know Rendal. I know him better’n anyone else walkin’ this Earth, and the reason he wants you so bad is that you’re better’n him. You’re better’n he’ll ever be.”

  Riley tilted her head up and looked at Lucie.

  “You’re gonna be a mage different from those before ya. You’re gonna change things, and it don’t matter at all that you ain’t brightening the lights right now.”

  “I don’t care, as long as I save Mason.”

  The door behind them opened, and they glanced at it.

  “I hope you two are done talkin’ ‘bout your knittin’ or whatever you women do.” William grinned, clearly thinking himself clever. “But we got trouble above.”

  Lucie looked at Riley again. “Even if you don’t ever get nowhere with magic, I promise I’ll teach you some things that’ll make his balls fall right off.”

  Riley climbed the ladder to the upper deck. The moon shone brightly across the tossing waves. Riley was glad the weather was good because she didn’t think she could handle much more movement.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  Verith stood at the deck’s edge, leaning against the rail. He held a long telescope to his eye.

  “He’s the man to talk to,” William told her.

  Riley walked toward the man, William following. Worth was already next to Verith. The wind rushed over them all, chilly now that the sun had set.

  “Pirates,” Verith commented as Riley approached.

  “You can see them from here?”

  “Just barely, but the lookout in the crow’s nest saw them and sent someone to get me.”

  “Do you have experience sailing, Verith?” Riley asked.

  “Aye, I do. Part of the training for New Perth’s military. Can’t be the highest general of the kingdom without knowing how to operate ships.”

  “See, Riley, it’s not all about brawn. You got to have brains too if you want to make it in this world.” William laughed.

  “Shut it or you’re goin’ over, chubby.” Riley turned her attention back to Verith. “How far off are the pirates?”

  “Tough to say in the dark like this.”

  “I make light. You want?” Worth asked from the other side of Verith. He still seemed grumpy, although he did hold a chalice in his left hand.

  “That’s not a bad idea if you can do it, Worth, although I need to think through the ramifications.”

  “You know what that word means, skinny?” William asked, grinning.

  “The adults are speaking,” Riley zipped back at him. “If you light the sky up, Worth, they’re going to know we have magic onboard.”

  “Exactly,” Verith agreed. “Which means when they get here, they might just shoot cannonballs at us and sink us rather than risk dealing with mages.”

  “So, no light?” Worth asked.

  “No, I don’t think so. Tomorrow we’ll know better how close they are. They won’t reach us tonight.”

  “Good.” Worth brought the chalice to his lips and took a deep drink of the wine. “Riley give me headache. Need rest.”

  He gave the Right Hand a goofy-looking wink and walked off, leaving the three to themselves.

  “Trouble with the training?” Verith asked.

  “She just ain’t as good as me.” William smirked.

  “Verith, if we feed him to sharks, do you think the Prefect will understand?” Riley asked.

  Verith smiled. “I wouldn’t presume to speak for Prefect Ire.” His smile faded. “We’re going to have to figure out what to do about those pirates.”

  “What do they want?” Riley asked.

  “Pirates only want a couple of things: loot and women.”

  “Will our New Perth flag dissuade them from pursuing such desires?”

  Verith still held the telescope to his eye as he shook his head. “No. On the sea, New Perth holds no sway. The pirates know they can sink this ship and simply sail off into the horizon without having to worry about vengeance from New Perth.”

  Riley stared out into the dark ocean, unable to see what Verith was looking at.

  “We’ll have time tomorrow.” Verith closed the telescope and slipped it into the pocket on his shirt. “We just need to make sure we’re all up first thing in the morning.”

  “That means no sleepin’ in, Riley. Get your ass up early.” William was truly having a great time with the fact that he could practice magic and she couldn’t.

  “You shouldn’t want me waking up too early, jackass, because you might not wake up at all,” Riley quipped.

  “Yeah, yeah. Come on. We all need some sleep. We’ll deal with the pirates tomorrow morning.”

  The s
un was bright above, and William didn’t feel as sick as he had the night before. Of course, he wouldn’t tell Riley or Lucie such a thing; he’d never hear the end of it. William knew he gave them way too much shit—even if he was always joking—to show any weakness.

  Worth was standing on the poop deck, and William made his way over. He could see the pirate ship in the distance, and it was definitely gaining on them. He hadn’t had time to talk to Verith yet this morning, but he trusted the general. The man was doing everything in his power to make sure the crew would be safe.

  Worth had been standing up there for quite some time, just staring. A few of the tent mages had come and spoken to him, but the conversations had been brief.

  “Hey, Worth.” William leaned against the rail in front of both men.

  “Hi.”

  “Wanted to talk to you about a few things, if you got the time.”

  William had seen this man as beneath him when they had first met. Worth had been leading a group of mutants out of the desert. He realized he’d been foolish, though. This man was wise and knew more than William probably ever would.

  Again, he wouldn’t admit such a thing to Riley or Lucie. They’d hound him until the end of time.

  “Got time. Nothing but time ‘til we meet mage again.”

  “Well, first, why the hell are you staring at that ship so hard? I don’t really see them being that big of a hindrance to us. I don’t think Verith does either.”

  “Aye, mayhap not.” Worth didn’t smile, which bothered William. The man always smiled.

  “Then why ya staring?”

  “Something different.”

  “About it?”

  “Aye.” Worth nodded. “Somethin’ different, betcha.”

  “Something to be worried about?”

  “Can’t see. Tryin’ to, but can’t.”

  “You talked to Verith this morning? Did he say when they’ll be here?”

  Worth nodded again. “Aye, be here tomorrow morn.”

  William wasn’t going to worry about the pirates. A bunch of ragtag cutthroats could be easily dispatched, and to be honest, he wanted the struggle. It’d been too long since he’d had a real fight and he felt a bit rusty.

  “Now, Worth, what I want to talk to you about next, you can’t tell no one, you understand?”

  Worth looked at him. William grinned; the man’s lips were still purple from the wine he had drunk the previous night.

  “I mean, it ain’t bad, Worth. Don’t look like that. But you know how Riley will get if she knows somethin’ about me. She’ll tease until she dies from laughter.”

  “Aye. Know how you are, too. You do same.”

  William laughed. “I suppose I do. But seriously, keep this between us, okay?”

  “Aye. Worth not tell.”

  “First, I want more magic training. The fire is good, but I want to do more. Is that possible?”

  “Aye. Possible. You stubborn, but it possible.”

  William nodded. He was glad to hear it. “I know that training Riley is most important, but can we make time over the next few days?”

  “Aye, Worth make time for ya.”

  “Thanks.” William stared at the coming ship and his smile faded. “The next thing is about Riley. I know you use magic. I know your tent people use magic. But I’ve seen Rendal twice, and I know how strong he is. You and I both have lost people close to us facing him, and from what I understand, we need Riley to stop him. That about right?”

  “Aye, mayhap. He strong.”

  William thought he could see the pirate’s flag, although he couldn’t make out exactly what was on it.

  “So, is she going to learn how to do this? Do you think you’ll be able to get through to her?”

  Worth turned to him, his eyebrows scrunching together. He looked at William for long seconds and then smiled wildly, looking like the Worth William knew.

  “She magic, big man. She more magic than you. Than me. There no ‘get through.’ There no worry.”

  “You were worried before we got on this ship?” William straightened, growing to his full height as he turned to the bald man.

  “I worried?”

  “Hell, yeah, you worried! You didn’t want to go and sulked like a child.” William felt his temper rising. Worth was acting like he wasn’t concerned and never had been.

  “Oh...” He nodded, still grinning. “Act, big man. All act. Need to make her think.”

  He tapped the side of his head with his finger.

  “Pressure. Create diamond. You see?”

  William felt his anger draining, a grin slowly replacing it. “Mind games?”

  Worth raised his hand and tilted it back and forth.

  “But she’ll be okay?”

  “Yes, big man. She okay. She magic. She just fine.”

  Worth turned from him and looked back at the sea.

  “You’re worried about that ship?”

  Worth didn’t move. He only said, “Something different.”

  Chapter Four

  The ship arrived the next morning, just as Worth said it would.

  Riley was on the deck, standing behind Verith, who, while not officially, was the ship’s captain. Worth stood to her left and William to her right. Lucie waited to the right of William.

  Behind them stood about fifty soldiers, plus a handful of mages Worth had brought up.

  “Think we’ll need them?” Riley had asked.

  “Can’t say.” That had been all Worth would say.

  Riley easily saw what was on the other deck, and it sent a chill down her spine.

  The same green stones that lined her sword were everywhere. Inside the hull. On the deck. On the lookout. She still saw no one, only looked on in amazement as the ship glistened green beneath the bright sun above.

  “Worth, you need to tell them what all that is.”

  She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye.

  “They...” He paused, bringing his hand to his face and rubbing his bare chin. She knew the sign well; it meant he was trying to figure out how to explain what was in his head. “They energy.”

  “Magic?”

  “No. Not magic. Energy.”

  “Riley, I need you to get this desert dweller to start making sense.” William grunted.

  Riley sent a sharp elbow into William’s side. He sucked in air and grinned as he looked down at her.

  “They...tech...What word?”

  “Technology?” Verith said from up front.

  Worth nodded. “Yes. They technology, those green stones. Energy. Not magic, but close.”

  “Is it dangerous?” Verith asked.

  Another nod.

  Fire lit William’s hands. His sword remained across his back, but she thought he was getting more comfortable with simply using the fire to fight.

  She wouldn’t say anything, knowing it would embarrass him, but she was proud all the same.

  He could still do more than she, but Riley was getting better at it by the day.

  “They’re as dangerous as Riley,” William quipped, still grinning though now staring at the pirate ship. “Which is to say, not very. I’ll run through ‘em like shit through a kangaroo.”

  She gave him another sharp elbow.

  “Hey!” He started, patting his left arm with his right hand and putting out the flames on his shirt. “Careful!”

  She laughed, unable to help herself.

  “Okay, focus, everyone,” Verith commanded.

  And as their ship quieted, a woman stepped onto the deck on the other.

  “Holy hell,” William whispered.

  “Keep your pants buttoned up.” Riley knew exactly what William was thinking. The woman was stunning. She didn’t look like any pirate Riley had ever imagined.

  Her hair was thick and full, and blazing red. She wore older black leather, but it was tight and fit her body perfectly. Lacework crossed the front, although her ample bosom was easily seen.

  “We don’t need to fight
her,” William whispered. “We need to—”

  “Father and Mother, he’s done gone and fell in love,” Lucie interrupted.

  William was quiet, clearly stunned by the woman’s beauty. To be fair, Riley was too. She’d never seen anyone like her.

  “This what you meant, Worth?” William finally managed to say. “Something different? Is she what’s different?”

  “Or maybe it’s the ship with the green stones running through it, ya big animal?” Lucie offered good-naturedly.

  “Something different.” Worth said nothing else.

  The woman moved an instrument to her mouth that Riley had never seen before, a cone of sorts with a handle on it. The handle held green stones. The woman pressed a button and then spoke into the cone’s small end.

  Her voice soared across the expanse, although the woman showed no effort at all.

  “I’m Captain Erin Stormhandle, and this is my ship. That ship you’re on, the one beneath your feet right now—that one is mine, too. You just don’t know it yet.”

  Riley put her hand on her sword.

  She stepped forward, moving past Verith to the rail.

  “I’m Right Hand Riley Trident, and what I do know is that if you don’t turn that ship around and go back to whatever hellhole you came from, the only other place you’ll be going is the bottom of this ocean.”

  The redhaired woman smiled brilliantly.

  A man walked up on her right.

  “No fuckin’ way.” William stepped up to Riley’s side. “You got a fuckin’ twin, skinny?”

  Riley’s mouth opened slightly because the resemblance—at least from this distance—was impossible. The man had short blonde hair, just like hers. He was slim, yet moved with a grace that Riley saw in few others.

  “Since you spoke first, you can decide whether to accept my offer.” The redhaired woman was still smiling. “You see, I don’t prefer all-out battle when it can be avoided. We would win, obviously—all you need do is look at my ship and compare it with yours—but a lot of destruction comes with that. Why don’t we do it the old-fashioned way?”