Belarus jumped up, rushing to put clothes on. Harold closed his eyes and shook his head. If that Riley bitch saw Belarus, he was as good as dead.
Which was fine with Harold. A lot of people in Sidnie were about to die, so what was one more?
Chapter Six
“We’re getting close to people,” Brighten whispered. “I can feel someone up ahead.”
The tunnel had wound farther down for the past half-hour. They hadn’t seen anyone since closing the door behind them.
Yet now Brighten brought them to a halt.
“How far?” Erin asked.
“I don’t know. This stuff is new to me,” he answered.
“Well, come on. We’ll figure it out.” Erin took the lead, moving through the hallway, albeit slower.
It circled to the right.
Both Erin and Brighten stopped.
The hallway had felt endless to Brighten, nothing like the catacombs he’d built up in his mind.
“Wow!” Erin whispered.
Brighten moved forward, stepping up next to Erin and looking at the room before him. It was massive, so large he could hardly understand how it existed down here. It was all brick, with round columns stretching from floor to ceiling throughout. Around the walls were enclaves that looked like open workrooms, at least right now.
“You felt some people, eh?” Erin whispered again.
Brighten was too enraptured to be frightened, although he should have been.
People swarmed the room. Carrying objects, standing over wooden tables with small tools in their hands, testing...
“What the fuck are those?” Brighten said, pointing to the right side of the room.
Three men stood in a wide circle. They each had on red necklaces, and their eyes were red too. Brighten didn’t care about the necklaces or the red eyes; they were clearly practicing magic. Instead, he was staring at the inside of the circle.
Three orbs hung in the middle. They were black with green lines running around them.
“Start,” a man said.
Brighten hadn’t seen him before. He was shorter and not wearing a necklace, and his eyes were a normal brown.
The other three men didn’t look at him, just stared forward, their faces lax.
Each orb shot to one of the men, hanging directly in front of his face.
“Go,” the short man said.
The orbs started to fly. They remained inside the circle but were rushing around the inside edge of it one after the other, picking up speed. Round and round, the black and green becoming blurs.
“Good,” the short man commented, nodding. “This is good. This is what we want.”
“Why are they doing that?” Brighten asked, not expecting an answer.
Erin shook her head.
The short man walked away from the men, although they didn’t move. Their faces didn’t change one bit.
Brighten figured the person he should be watching was the short man; he seemed to be in charge.
He moved across the floor, not noticing anything or anyone, completely lost in his own head. He looked to be talking to himself beneath his breath.
He walked closer to Brighten and Erin. So far no one had noticed them. The room was simply too busy and big to see the quiet new entrants.
The short man stopped and Brighten saw what he’d missed: three cages. The short man now stood in front of them, looking at the occupants.
“Please,” one of the men in the cages pleaded. “Please let us go. We won’t say anything. We won’t tell anyone what’s happening down here.”
Brighten half believed the guy because he couldn’t figure out what the hell was happening down here himself.
The short man didn’t respond. He simply stepped away, backing up against the wall.
“GO!” he shouted, turning his head to the three people wearing necklaces.
“What the hell is happening?” Erin whispered harshly.
Brighten had no idea. This was all too weird. His eyes flashed to the three lax-faced men, none of whom moved.
However, the black orbs immediately stopped racing around in their circle. They bolted through an opening between the three men, rushing across the room. They moved faster than any horse or bird Brighten had ever seen. Faster than anything he could imagine.
His eyes caught the intricacies of their movement. They were rolling as they flew, and a line of holes opened up across the surface.
Brighten’s eyes widened. He was completely confused but unable to look away.
He heard the sound of something popping, then there were screams from the cages. His eyes flew to them. The people inside were bleeding, and—
Pop. Pop. Pop.
The sounds were like tiny air pockets bursting, and then the people in the cages were bleeding from more holes.
Their faces. Their sides.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
The three dropped to the floor, dying if not dead.
Brighten looked at the orbs.
They hung in the air five feet from the cages.
The holes perforating their surfaces were still there, and tiny metal balls rested just inside.
Brighten glanced at the dead.
“That’s not possible,” he whispered, dread filling him.
“You saw it,” Erin answered. “I did, too. It’s possible.”
Brighten swallowed. He didn’t understand anything of what he had just seen, or least not how it had happened. He was smart enough to understand what had happened, though.
The men at the end, those wearing red necklaces, just used magic to race those orbs across the room. The orbs then shot out those tiny metal balls.
And the people in the cages? They died from the injuries the balls caused.
The short man was squatting, looking at the people in the cages. Studying them.
“Come on,” Erin said. “That’s just one experiment. There are more, I’m sure. We need to see them.”
“What the hell are you talkin’ about, Erin? I’m not going anywhere but right back out that tunnel to Kris. Then I’m tellin’ her we’re done here. We’re done with you, William, Lucie, and everyone else. That right there—that just eliminated the need for archers. It eliminated the need for soldiers because someone can control those orbs from anywhere. Those orbs just changed warfare.”
He didn’t look at Erin as he spoke. He stared at the three people in the cages, all of them dead now.
The smack upside his head pulled his attention from them.
Erin was looking down at him, the motherly visage from earlier gone. No awe at his psychic abilities.
A redheaded fury stood in front of him. “Listen here, runt. Those people you just said you’re done with? Those are my friends, and they’re the only ones willing to stop that psychopath down there from using those orbs on everyone in this kingdom. You want to turn around and go, be my fucking guest. But I promise that when I finish here, I’m going to come find you for being such a bitch.”
“I-I-I…” Brighten tried to stutter something out but couldn’t manage to find the words.
“I know you’re scared, but there’s duty involved here, and we’re not going to shirk it out of fear. Get your shit together and let’s keep looking. We haven’t been noticed yet, and I think there’s a good chance we can see a lot more before we are. I need you to help keep us from being seen with your magic. There’s more to find out, and we’re gonna do it. Okay?”
Brighten wanted to nod. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to be brave, but he couldn’t find the strength. He couldn’t make himself talk.
Erin smiled, the fury fading.
“It’s okay. I don’t need an answer, but if you quit acting like a bitch and come with me, I’ll brag all about it to Kris and William. They won’t be able to say shit for at least a week.”
That broke through his paralysis—the thought of him being able to lord this over Kris.
He grinned. “You promise you’ll tell them?”
“Hell yeah,
I will,” Erin answered. “You in?”
He laughed. “I’d do anything to be able to make fun of Kris without her having any ammo to come back at me with.”
“Then let’s turn you into a legend, shall we?”
Daybreak came, but Riley didn’t wake up as the light shone through her window. Perhaps it was the exhaustion of travel, or maybe it was only that she felt her friends were safe.
The knock on the door brought her from her slumber.
She sat up quickly in her bed, though her mind wasn’t in attack mode.
“Come in,” she said. She was still wearing her clothes from the previous evening.
Thomas walked into the room and closed the door behind him. “I apologize, my Savior. I didn’t want to wake you, but I’m not sure this can be avoided.”
“Thomas! Stop with the savior stuff!” Riley grumbled good-naturedly.
“I’m sorry.” He nodded, looking down. “I’ll work harder at it.”
She sighed and stood up. “It’s okay. It’s just awkward for me. I’m nobody’s savior.” Riley turned and started making her bed.
“There’s trouble, my—Riley.”
“When is there not?” Riley groaned. She didn’t stop making her bed as she asked, “What is it?”
“Bruce came to me early this morning. The kingdom is looking for you.”
That caught Riley’s attention. She turned around. “What do you mean?”
“This mage, Rendal—he knows you’re here,” Thomas explained. “And apparently he’s willing to do anything to find you.”
“Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Thomas? Tell me what the hell is going on.” Riley smirked. The man could be long-winded when he had information he didn’t want to give her.
“They’re searching houses, the kingdom’s guards. Even the military. They’re going through rich and poor alike, and they’re ripping places apart.”
Riley felt somewhat confused. “That makes no sense. No one in this kingdom knows I exist besides Rendal. I understand that he might know I’m here, but what’s going through every single house going to do? Unless he finds this one, he won’t find me.”
“Yes.” Thomas sighed. “That’s one way to look at it, but if I may be so bold, I don’t think it’s the correct way.”
“Thomas! Be bold, man! What the hell is going on out there?” Riley wanted to laugh and throttle the man. When he’d first met her, he had been nothing but rude, but now he could hardly bear to give her bad news.
“I spoke to Lucie earlier this morning. She is much better than that oaf William.” Thomas shook his head at the mention of the Right Hand’s name. “She says it’s only partially about finding you. It’s also about—”
“Showing me that if I don’t come forward, he’s going to hurt people.” Riley stopped talking as the truth came to her. The depravity of it, something she hadn’t been able to even imagine moments before.
Thomas nodded in agreement. “Yes. He’s going to kill people until they start talking, and then they’re going to say anything. They’ll start ratting out neighbors and friends who have nothing to do with this to keep themselves safe.”
Riley looked at Thomas, her face hard. “Has there been an official proclamation?”
“Yes,” Thomas answered. “Anyone housing the spies will be considered enemies of the state.”
“Where is everybody else?”
“Everyone is downstairs except for the Verith man,” Thomas told her. “I still haven’t met him since he remained at the other hideout, waiting for... I’m sorry, I forget their names.”
“Erin and Brighten,” Riley finished. “Okay, let’s go talk to the rest.”
“Of course, my Savior.” Thomas turned to open the door.
Riley smiled in resignation at his inability to remember her sole instruction. If she told him to go outside, take his pants off, and run around screaming like a lunatic he’d do it, no questions asked.
Not calling her a Savior? That was like pulling fucking teeth.
The two made their way downstairs. Riley found William sitting over a large plate of eggs and bacon. Eric was next to him, a much smaller plate in front of him.
Lucie was standing at the stove, still cooking. Her eyes were red, meaning she was doing something with magic. Riley didn’t feel like asking what the hell was going on with that. She had enough to deal with.
“Glad you got up, lazy.” William shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth.
“Let’s be honest, William. Your ass would still be asleep if there wasn’t food out here. The only thing that moves you is food and...Well, Erin now.” Riley grinned. She’d missed this banter.
William opened his mouth to talk, but it had too much food in it.
“All the better,” Lucie said. “Just keep food in his mouth and he shuts up.”
“Where’s Kris? Where’s Worth?” Riley asked as she looked around the kitchen.
“They’re both still asleep. I think Worth is about as hungover as he’s ever been,” Lucie answered, bringing over another plate of food. “Sit, girl. Eat.”
Riley looked at the steaming eggs and bacon. “We need to discuss what to do first.”
“You can eat and discuss. Just don’t take as big of bites as the fat man over there.”
“She ain’t as smart as me.” William took another bite. “She can’t figure out how to talk and eat.”
“Hush, chubby.” Riley looked from William to Thomas. “Have you eaten?”
“I will eat after you.”
“Oh, that’s rich,” William chuckled. “Riley eats first now. Look at you, big shot.”
Riley shook her head and decided not to argue with Thomas. To do so would only make William talk more shit. She sat and started to eat. “What did the owner of the house say? Bruce?”
Thomas spoke. “As of now, he’s okay with us staying.”
“Have they started invading houses already?” Riley asked.
“Yeah,” William grumbled. “They’re not around here yet. They’re working closer to the castle, but they’ve started.”
Riley chewed, thinking. She knew what Rendal wanted: her. He knew she was here, but— “How can Rendal know I’m in the kingdom but not where I am?”
“Worth and I are to thank for that,” Lucie answered. “He’s been keeping up a shield for much of last night, and when he passed out, I took over.”
“That explains your red eyes. You two are running shifts to make sure he can’t find me?”
“That’s right. It’s not terribly hard, given the size of Sidnie and the fact that he probably isn’t looking that often. We may actually be able to quit altogether, now that he’s started this mess.”
“Have we heard from Verith?” she asked.
“No. He left about an hour ago,” Lucie told her. “We don’t know how long it’ll take. We didn’t have any idea when to expect Erin and Brighten back.”
Riley looked at Eric and William. Both were focusing on their food, clearly trying not to consider the worst scenario: that Erin wasn’t coming back.
“Hey, chumps. That woman can beat both your asses, so quit looking so glum,” Riley told them.
William raised his eyebrows, then looked at Eric. He grinned, realizing he needed to lift the kid’s spirits. He slugged Eric in the shoulder. “Listen to the woman and cheer up. Also, that’s the only time you’ll ever hear me say listen to Riley. Usually it’s a ridiculous thing to do.”
Riley turned to Lucie. “What do you think I should do? If he’s going to start hurting people—if he’s already hurting people—I have to go to him, right?”
Lucie sighed. “You don’t learn, do ya? You just keep doing what he wants. Worth told me he said you needed to stay with those underground people and you refused. That ‘bout right?”
Riley just gave a slight nod.
“Well, my answer is simple, girl. No, you don’t go to him. Let him do what he wants. You continue learning your craft. This Thomas over here, he’s sup
posedly adept at magic. You got Worth and me and a huge damned house to practice in. If we want to, we can probably leave the kingdom and go out into the Badlands to practice.”
Riley shook her head. “That’s the exact same thing Worth said.”
“Worth was right, girl,” Lucie responded. “You’re not ready for Rendal. Worth told me you’ve come a long way, but that just makes it more dangerous for you.”
“How so?”
“You’re more vulnerable now than you were before. You’re more powerful, but you’re more susceptible to listening to him,” Lucie answered.
“No,” Riley told her. “That’s not true.”
“You asked me for my opinion, and that’s it. You need to train more so you’re ready the next time you meet him.” Lucie turned away from Riley, heading back to the stove.
Riley looked down at her plate. “People are going to die if I don’t.”
“People are going to die no matter what. Rendal’s fuckin’ insane.” William pushed his empty plate away. “But I’m down for whatever. I owe him and his little sidekick a serious ass-kickin'.”
Verith walked into the room just then, Erin and Brighten following.
“I think we need to talk,” Verith said.
“Oh, really? Let me guess.” Riley hadn’t touched another bite. “More trouble?”
“That’s right.” Erin wore her usual smile, looking as if nothing in the world could bother her.
William was on his feet looking at Erin, making sure she had no wounds.
“I’m fine, dearest.” Erin touched his shoulder as she moved to her son and laid a light kiss on Eric’s cheek. She pulled up a chair next to him. Lucie didn’t pause, setting a plate down in front of her.
“We’re doomed,” Brighten said. He sat at the table too. “Where’s Kris?”
“Still sleeping,” Lucie answered, handing him a plate too.
He didn’t so much as look at it. “They have weapons that shouldn’t even be possible.”
“You know who doesn’t have a weapon?” Lucie asked. “That big oaf sittin’ there. Lost his damned sword.”
Riley shook her head, chuckling. “That’s something we’re going to have to remedy because you’re not too good at hand-to-hand combat.”
Hand of Justice Boxed Set Page 48
