Rendal stepped a bit closer.
“You know that when she joins me, she’s going to get bracelets like these, right? Even if she came at me with magic right now, I’m too powerful. The things I can do dwarf her natural abilities, and when she sees that, she’ll join.”
Mason laughed. “You forget what happened at your compound, don’t you?”
Rendal’s eyes narrowed, but he remained quiet.
“We were all about to die. Even then your power was too great for us, for Worth or William or even Riley. And what did she do, Rendal the all-powerful mage? She fought back. She charged you as if you were nothing more than a regular soldier. She threw a fucking axe into your arm.”
Mason stepped closer as well, putting his face right in front of the mage’s, though he knew it was dangerous.
“I know Riley, and I know you now. The two of you are nothing alike. You hid like a coward in the wilderness for years, building an army that you thought would be unstoppable. You know the difference between you and her? She’ll come for you by herself with a damn steak knife if it means she has a chance of killing you. She doesn’t need bracelets or magic. The difference, grand mage, is that she’s a warrior, and you’re just a child trying to get back at Daddy for punishing you when you stepped out of line.”
Rendal didn’t move, but his eyes blazed red.
Mason rose thirty feet above the deck, and his throat tightened as if a hand had grabbed it and cut the oxygen flow off.
Watch yourself, boy, Rendal’s voice spat inside his head. Be careful with that wagging tongue, or you might find it ripped right out of your throat.
Mason felt his tongue being pulled out of his mouth as if held by a pair of pliers.
You toy with others, but not me. You rule others, but not me. You’re here to bring Riley to me, but other than that, you have no value.
Mason’s tongue withdrew into his mouth and the grip on his throat was reduced, but his body moved over the ship so that he hung above blue water.
There’s no help out here. Only pirates, me, and the sharks. I’ll give you to them and find another way to get Riley if you keep yipping. Understand?
Mason made no movement, just remembered Riley’s strength and thought three words: Go fuck yourself.
His body floated back down to the deck. His throat was slightly swollen.
Harold was standing behind him now as if he’d appeared from thin air.
“Hello, Harold.” Rendal’s voice was calm, the spite gone. “Please take Mason belowdecks. Way below. Put him in a cage all by himself. He needs to learn some manners.”
“Of course, sir,” Harold replied.
Harold grabbed Mason’s arm, but he pulled back, not letting himself be dragged away so easily.
“Rendal, you still don’t scare me. Feed me to the sharks or let me live, it makes no difference. You’re in Riley’s sights now, and that means it’s over for you, whether you realize it or not.”
Rendal turned around, his voice soft as if nothing Mason said mattered in the slightest. “Everybody talks. Only action matters, my dear Assistant Prefect.”
Harold threw Mason in with the rest of the prisoners. They were on the lowest of the ship’s three levels, and cages lined the sides. People from the compound sat in the cages wearing their green necklaces. Rendal’s workers came and went from these levels, feeding, cleaning, and taking prisoners to be drained.
Harold thought this Mason fellow was very close to finding himself on the bad side of his master, and that meant he might be drained soon too. He’d lose the nanocytes his blood carried. Harold didn’t know if those things replicated or if once gone…
Poof! No more magic potential.
“I do not care whether you live or die,” Harold stated as he tossed the man into the cage. “But if I can give you any advice, I’d watch your mouth around him. He’s treating you kindly, and you’d be wise to remember that. It could get worse for you.”
The man looked at his feet and smiled. “You’re the one who came for Riley?”
“I did.” Harold nodded.
“Then you know, perhaps better than anyone else, it’s going to get a lot worse for all of you on this ship.” Mason looked up, his eyes fierce. “She’s coming, Harold buddy, and she’s not going to look kindly on you either.”
Harold only stared at the man for another second, then turned and left the prison level.
He didn’t want to think about the Assistant Prefect’s words. Didn’t want them in his mind.
Harold had made his decision, and the man downstairs was delusional if he thought Riley could challenge Rendal. Perhaps once, before all his technology came to be.
Now, though?
Impossible.
Harold had never imagined anyone could be this strong. Letting Mason’s thoughts into his own would be horrendous. Rendal would know, if he didn’t already.
He climbed back up the ladders to the upper deck. He knew Rendal still wanted to see him.
“I’ve put him with the others, sir. What else can I do?”
“We’re going to reach that cove by tomorrow night, I think, if everything goes as it should.” Rendal’s back was to Harold; he was seemingly content to simply stare out at the water. “She’s there.”
“The Right Hand?” Harold asked.
“No, the whore you fucked last time you were in Sidnie. Yes, the Right Hand, Harold. Are you losing your wits, man?”
“My apologies, sir. I just wanted to make sure.”
Rendal smiled. “I’m just giving you a hard time. But, yes, Riley is there. She’s got her crew, plus more. Many mages.”
“It doesn’t matter what she has, sir.”
Rendal chuckled. “That’s the spirit. But she is going to try to make a stand, I fear. She will try to break through our offense and steal back her precious Mason.”
Harold knew that the mage wasn’t telling him everything. He was holding some of the plan back, ensuring that only he knew everything when the time came.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Make a path for her,” Rendal answered. “But only her. I don’t want the rest of her crew getting on the ship, you understand?”
“Yes, sir. I understand.”
“Good. I don’t care how many of us die to ensure she comes alone, but make sure she does. We have more than enough to replenish any losses, and we’ll continue gathering soldiers.”
Harold nodded. “I’ll make sure it happens.”
The damn problem was how to make sure it happened.
Harold didn’t have a clue. He had one day to figure it out and had no idea of the land’s layout, nor how to lure the Right Hand away from her crew.
“This is a pickle, boss.” Belarus stared at the map in front of him. He and Harold were both looking at it, the paper showing the island they’d arrive at tomorrow.
“A pickle is what’s between your legs, Belarus,” Harold mocked. “This is what adults call ‘a problem.’”
“Aye, that’s what I mean, boss. A real problem.”
Harold wondered how he was supposed to work with an idiot beneath him.
“The master says that there will be ships here, here, and here. Also along these edges.” Harold marked the paper with a piece of chalk. “He says that Riley and her crew will hole up here, in the middle.”
He circled a building in the center.
“Why are they holin’ up there? Why ain’t they fleein’? Makes no sense, ya ask me, boss.”
Harold closed his eyes, doing his best to keep from bashing the moron’s brains in. “No one is asking you, Belarus. No one will ever ask you your opinion, not in this room and not on this ship. You are to follow orders; is that clear?”
“‘Course, boss. Just thinkin’ aloud.”
“Well, stop.” Harold was growing angrier by the second, and the fact that Belarus didn’t care only intensified it. “Now listen…we’re going to have casualties. A lot of them, and the master is fine with that. But she i
s to make it up this trail here, and by the end, she is to be by herself. You understand?”
Belarus insisted that he did, indeed, get it.
Now Harold just needed to make sure he wasn’t one of the people dying when that bitch ripped her way north to the ship.
Chapter Eight
“This big dumb animal is going to get us all killed.” Lucie was staring at William, not an ounce of friendliness on her face.
“I’m sorry, Lucie,” William retorted. “Down there at your restaurant, did you learn military tactics along with how to make stew?”
Lucie’s eyes grew red, and Riley stepped between the two.
“Hey, both of you, quit it. We’re not going to kill ourselves before the mage gets here, you understand?”
William turned from Lucie to Riley. “What she’s sayin’ is crazy, Riley, and you know it. None of our training, none of our experience, says we hole up here while Rendal’s army swarms the island. He’ll take every ship and every man but us, then simply sail off into the sunset, heading right for New Perth with Mason in tow.”
Lucie’s eyes returned to their normal color and she looked at Riley, who was the de facto leader now.
“That makes sense in a normal battle. This isn’t a normal battle. Rendal is gathering men, that’s true, but that ain’t all he’s doin’, girl. He’s after you above all else. He wants you. That’s why the oaf here is wrong.”
“He might be an oaf, Lucie, but he’s our oaf, so cool it,” Riley responded.
“Aye, I’ll show you both an oaf if you don’t watch your mouths.” William grinned despite his challenge. They were on the same side, and William wasn’t too stubborn to forget that.
“Okay. You’re right.” Lucie’s voice calmed. “But that doesn’t change the facts. Rendal wants you. He’s not leaving this place without you, because he knows you’re here. His power is growing, and I can’t cast a mental block strong enough to keep him fully out. He wants troops, but he wants you more.”
“And if we stay in here?” Riley asked.
They currently were in the middle of the island, inhabiting the largest building (though small by New Perth standards). It was a circular dome, unused for the most part.
Erin said it was used for pirate matters, a neutral meeting place when things grew too heated.
Verith and his troops were guarding the outer perimeter while Riley’s group talked inside.
“If we stay here,” Lucie answered, “he will have to come get you or send others to do so. Here we can defend ourselves. Out there, have you seen much of the island?”
Riley looked at Erin. “What’s it like?”
“The places that are inhabited are like what you’ve seen, but beyond that, it’s basically jungle,” Erin answered.
“Exactly,” Lucie kept going. “From what Twocuts tells us, he’ll be here tomorrow night, which means that if one of us gets lost in that jungle, we might be lost for good.”
“Speak for yourselves,” William said with a grin. “Got my sword and my fire, and I ain’t scared of burnin’ down no trees.”
Lucie rolled her eyes and kept going. “If we stay in here and guard this as our base, he won’t leave. He’ll have to come.”
Erin spoke up. “I don’t know anything about this mage, just what you’ve all said, and Twocuts. But if we’re in here and he comes, how are we going to defend ourselves?”
“My lady,” William said. “We’ll do what Right Hands do. We’ll kill whoever he sends.”
Riley looked away quickly, her hand moving to her mouth to hide the smile.
My lady, she thought. He’s head over heels for this woman.
Riley got control of herself and turned back to the group.
“My lady,” she said. She was unable to help herself, and the grin reappeared. “We have Worth and his magicians. We have Twocuts and an entire pirate army. We can hold them off until Rendal gets here.”
“And then what?” Erin asked.
“I’m going to twist his balls until either I rip them off or he gives me Mason.” Riley grinned, and Erin’s beautiful smile flashed over her face.
“That sounds just about right.”
The night grew late, and Riley was alone. She’d walked outside, her sword on her hip. She wasn’t worried about the island now.
Twocuts had sent word of what was coming, and that anyone who didn’t want to fight this new tyrant should leave. If you did want to fight and you stayed, all pirates were one team until this threat was removed.
So for perhaps the first time in its history, the island wasn’t full of danger.
Riley hadn’t tried training with Worth in days. William had. He’d been doing it every night, and his skills were definitely improving.
Eric had taken part tonight, and Worth was teaching him how to bring his fire to life when he wasn’t in battle.
Everyone’s magic was growing except hers.
She—the person that Rendal wanted so badly— apparently couldn’t light a single flame unless William was about to die.
Riley pulled her sword from her hip and surveyed the green stones in the hilt, still not understanding exactly how they could help her.
Yet, the sword was better than her last. She held no doubt about that.
With her old sword, she probably would have lost to Eric out there. With this one she’d been able to do more, but she didn’t understand how.
It magic. Or will be. When you magic.
Worth had told her that, but the proclaimed greatest mage on the continent could do nothing without death rearing its head.
“You worry.”
Riley spun, her sword flipping up and out.
She caught it just before it sliced off Worth’s head.
He smiled at her through purple lips. He still held his wine chalice, not a drop spilled. “You worry. Too much.”
“Worth, what the hell, man? I almost cut your head off.”
“Worth no worry. That why Worth happy.” He took a light sip from his chalice. “Why you worry for tomorrow?”
“I can’t tell if you’re playing dumb or you really don’t know.” Riley sheathed her sword, the metal barely making any noise against the leather.
“Maybe both. Maybe neither. Why you worry?” Worth asked again.
“Because he’s coming, and I know what he did last time. I gave everything I had. Hell, we all gave everything we had, but it wasn’t enough. He stole the person I care for most in the world.”
“Mason, aye?” Worth questioned.
“Yes, Mason.”
Worth smiled wide. “You worry. Too much. You, Mason, marry. Make babies.”
Riley felt heat rising from her chest to her cheeks and could only hope the night sky hid it from Worth.
“It’s not like that, Worth.”
“Never is in beginning. That why it works. You really love him.” Worth’s smile was wide, and he was speaking loudly as if this was well known.
Riley didn’t need to turn around to understand they were alone. Her senses told her well enough.
Still, Worth was talking crazy.
“Come. Walk with Worth.”
The bald man went to his right, lifting his chalice to his lips and not bothering to look at Riley.
She waited for a second, then caught up with the tent man.
They walked in silence for some time, until they reached the edge of the jungle. Worth didn’t stop but kept going forward.
His eyes lit red, and the vines and tree limbs moved out of his way. Riley stuck close behind, ensuring that she passed through the same small path.
Worth led the two of them deep into the jungle, but finally they found a small clearing—a circle about twelve feet wide. No tree branches stretched across above them, revealing the open sky.
“How did you know this was here?” she asked.
Worth shrugged. “Didn’t. Just went for walk.”
Riley’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t know if she believed him. She also didn’t kn
ow how this clearing existed, even the tree branches above not entering the circle.
Worth sat down, folding his legs beneath him.
“How can you be so fat but move so easily?” Riley smiled as she followed suit.
Worth laughed. “Magic.”
“Why are we out here, Worth?” Riley asked.
“You bad student.” He nodded, but the grimness from days earlier was missing. “Stubborn. Don’t listen to Worth.”
“I try,” Riley answered. “I really do. I don’t know why I can’t do magic.”
“Worth know. Worth smart. You…” He shook his head and looked at the ground. “Not so smart.”
He was grinning.
“At least I’m not fat.”
Worth nodded. “Fat and stupid be bad. I fat. You stupid. Good plan.”
Riley laughed, her mind losing its earlier doubts.
“He come tomorrow.” Worth’s smile disappeared, and he looked into his wine chalice. “He want you. Lucie speak true. You don’t need worry. Worry too much, Worth thinks.”
“I can’t beat him with my sword. Not even the one you gave me,” Riley explained. “I can help. I can support you and your mages, but one on one? I don’t know what I can do.”
“Each time you stop him, aye?” Worth asked.
“It depends on what you mean by stop.”
“He kill you?”
Riley shook her head.
“No. He no kill you. He kill Mason? He kill William? He kill Lucie?”
Riley shook her head again.
“No,” Worth continued. “You magic, Riley. You no see it, but it true. Those you care about, they no die, even when powerful mage attack. They live. You live. Worth live. You see that magic?”
Riley chuckled. “That’s not magic, Worth. That’s luck. Stupid luck.”
“No. Stupid Riley.” Worth grinned. “That magic. You change battlefield by showing up. Nothing else. You magic.”
“But not like you. Not like William. Not like Lucie.”
“Not yet, but we not change battlefield. We piece of battlefield. You beyond it.” Worth extended his chalice to Riley. “Drink.”
Hand of Justice Boxed Set Page 27
