by C. M. Hayden
While Taro was positioning the disc to cut through the metal shaft, the door in the cell creaked opened and Linos blustered in.
“Excuse me,” Trezu said indignantly, “I was promised privacy.”
“You’ll have to get it another time. There’s a situation in the cells above, and she needs to be secured.”
Vexis coughed and Taro heard her beat her chest. “Little ol’ me?”
Taro pressed the disc to the metal and it cut a perfect circle. As soon as it cleared, Taro took the metal orb Trezu had given him and lobbed it into the cell.
“Cover your eyes and mouth!” Trezu shouted to Vexis.
There was a flash and a great plume of vapor that dissipated quickly after the initial blast. When Taro jumped down, he found Linos passed out on the floor. He patted through his pockets, found the door key and locked the cell from the inside.
“Taro, my hero,” Vexis said giddily. “You really know how to break a girl out of jail. Twice in a row, isn’t it? I hope you have an actual plan this time.”
Taro shot her a furious glare. “Will you shut up for five seconds?” He set the disc up against the cell bars, careful not to touch the lethal enchantments.
When Vexis saw the device, she made a faux-gasp. “Interesting. Daddy must really be serious if he let you take that out of the aculam vaults.”
Trezu was glancing through the small glass window on the cell door, checking if more warders were on their way. “We were authorized to use any means.”
Through the shadows, Vexis scoffed. “Where is Sorkesh, anyway? Too much of a coward to do the dirty work?”
“Your friend here beat him to a bloody pulp,” Trezu said.
Vexis smiled like a cat. “Remind me to give you a big, fat kiss when this is over, Taro.”
The disc activated and left a huge hole in the cell. Some of the unsupported bars fell away, and Taro ushered for Vexis to come through.
“The pressure pads on the floor—” Vexis said. This was the first time Taro had ever seen her actually concerned about her own safety. She eyed the four flame vents on the walls.
“I’m pretty sure they’re all off,” Taro said. He looked to Trezu. “Right? They’re off?”
“I believe so,” Trezu said.
Vexis gave him a dubious look. “You ‘believe’?”
“We don’t have time for this,” Taro insisted, “just come on.”
Taro took off his over-cloak for a moment and laid it on the cut bars so she could climb over them without touching the metal.
Vexis vaulted through the hole, and grabbed hold of Taro in a disgustingly playful manner. She twirled him a bit before he shoved her to the floor. She’d lost a lot of weight since the last time he’d seen her; she seemed a mere shell of her former self, but she was just as insufferable as ever.
“Well,” Vexis said, rubbing her back end, “at least I didn’t burn to death.”
Trezu seized Vexis by the wrist and led her to the opening in the vent. “We must hurry, my lady, the guards will be here soon.”
“Wait,” Taro said. He was practically kicking himself, but he couldn’t leave Sikes behind. “There’s one more person we need to get.”
Vexis pulled her arm free and leaned against Taro. “You wanna save your friend, don’t you? Aren’t you just a sweetheart? Lucky for you, I happened to see his cell when they first stuffed me down here. I’ll show you.”
Taro unlocked the cell door, and he and Vexis hurried out into the nearly pitch-black hallway. She ushered him along a few yards and around a turn, until they came to a wrought iron door. Taro fished through the keys, trying them one by one, until he found the correct one and the door creaked open.
Through the faintest hint of light, Taro saw Sikes huddled in the corner, naked from the waist up and shivering. His skin was pale from lack of sunlight, and his eyes were horrifically bloodshot. He was being fed though, and wasn’t in the same emaciated shape that Vexis was.
Taro held his hand out to him. “Sikes? We gotta go.”
Sikes’ limbs were shaking. He eyed Taro, then Vexis, and slowly reached out and took his friend’s hand. “What took you so long?” he said.
They rushed back to the central cell as the sound of bootsteps filled the stairwell. Taro locked the cell door, and ushered each of them up the flame vent. They crawled and scooted for their lives, and finally came to the inner walls. Taro took the lead and they shimmied passed pipes and valves, through spider webs, and over steam grates until they saw sunlight peeking through the break in the wall.
The sunlight struck Taro hard, momentarily blinding him. He shielded his eyes until he acclimated, and glanced around the prison courtyard. There were no warders in the immediate area, presumably they were all inside. They made the short dash across the sand toward the outer wall. Taro went through first, and as he did he came face-to-face with a warder who was inspecting the breach.
They were mere inches away, but it took a long moment before either of them reacted. Their eyes met, and Taro saw the truth. It was his father. This had been his first assignment.
His father’s eyes weren’t angry, rather there was a look of profound astonishment about him, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Vexis, Trezu, and Sikes pushed through the breach, almost running into Taro.
Talthis saw who his son was with. “Taro, no,” he said breathlessly. “Not like this.”
Without another word, Taro took the handle-cap off his dagger, the end of which was a thin needle. He stuck his father in the arm, and Talthis fell to the grass. Taro checked his pulse and looked to Trezu.
“He’ll be fine,” Trezu assured. “It’ll only last for an hour or two.”
As they disappeared into the woods, Taro didn’t look back.
Chapter Fifteen
Courses for Crowns
Taro and the others snaked through dozens of alleyways, careful to avoid being spotted. Vexis especially, as her bright blonde hair and well-known face was sure to attract some attention. They were fortunate enough to find a line of clothes hanging out of a low windowsill and ‘borrowed’ a few of the cloaks and over-shirts. Dock Street was near, and by now the Carcerium would be swarming with magisters and warders trying to track down the escapees and their accomplices.
“So…” Vexis said after the eighth turn through a back alley. “About that plan…”
Taro peeked around a corner, and when he was sure it was clear, waved the others to follow. “It’s a work in progress,” he said, keeping his head low as he hurried across the open street. “I wasn’t expecting the extra heads. I booked a ride on a merchant ship, maybe I can convince the captain to take on a few more.”
“What if they check the ports?” Vexis said.
Sikes spoke up, his voice weary and broken, but his characteristically sarcastic tone was starting to return. “Then we’re screwed.”
The rank smell of the docks hit Taro hard as they finally arrived. From his vantage, he could see the ship he’d booked, the Melinda’s Folly, was still in port.
“Okay,” Taro began, “I’m going to go on ahead and see if I can add two heads to the trip.” He pointed to Vexis. “You’re my cousin.” To Sikes. “You’re her brother.” To Trezu. “Our guide, I guess. Sit tight, I’ll be right back.”
Captain Rodrick was on the dock beside the ship; his face was red and his thick mustache was damp with sweat and saliva, as if he’d been yelling himself into a froth. He was guiding two workers carrying wooden crates marked ‘FRAGILE’ up the gangplank.
Rodrick swore in a language that Taro didn’t recognize and checked something off in a small leather-bound book. When Taro approached him, Rodrick’s eyes glanced over him as if he didn’t remember him. Taro stood, his gaze shifting from one end of the long dock to the other. He spotted some warders far off near the road. They were talking amongst each other, no doubt they’d been alerted to the escape.
“Can I help you?” Rodrick blustered.
“We spoke the other d
ay about me booking passage for me and my cousin.”
“Did we?” He looked Taro over, then tapped his finger on the leather cover of his book. “Oh, yes, yes, yes. Sixty crowns for the both of you, if I recall.”
Taro wrung his hands. “The thing is, I’ve got an extra two passengers.”
“Four in all?” Rodrick said, pursing his lips.
Taro was keenly aware that he had only one hundred crowns in his pocket, in the form of three gold sovereigns and change. It would’ve been a small fortune in most circumstances, but it seemed to get lighter with each passing second. If the captain asked for too much, someone would have to stay behind.
Rodrick placed one of his sausage-like fingers under Taro’s chin and pushed his head to one side, then the other. He wiped his finger on his trouser leg and grimaced. “Been doing some running, lad?”
“I didn’t want to be late,” Taro said quickly.
“You wouldn’t happen to be in trouble, would you?”
“Can you help me or not?” Taro snapped.
Rodrick gave him another significant look and licked his dry lips. “One hundred and ten crowns, and I reckon we can accommodate you.”
It was like being punched in the gut. It was a staggering amount. “You could buy a new ship for that much. You’re cracked.”
“And you’re desperate. For what reason, I don’t much care. But I’m a man of the world.” He rubbed his fingers together to illustrate his point. “Don’t like it? Take your business elsewhere.”
Taro stormed back to the others in a huff. He picked through his satchel of coins again, confirming that he had the equivalent of a hundred silver crowns. While his eyes were focused on counting, he heard a yelp nearby. Momentarily confused, he looked up and almost dropped the bag. Sikes was curled up beside a stack of barrels with his arms wrapped around his knees, and Trezu was laying on the ground in a pool of fresh blood. Vexis was straddled over him with a rusted scrap of metal she’d just used to slice his throat.
When Vexis noticed Taro she stood and wiped the blood off her hands and onto Trezu’s clothing.
“Gods below, what the hell are you doing?” Taro shouted, seizing her by the wrist.
Taro’s eyes were largely focused on the dead man on the ground, but when his eyes locked with Vexis he saw a glimpse of the madness that lied behind them. Her casual brutality hadn’t waned with her confinement, and she even seemed healthier than she’d been just a few hours earlier. Inexplicably, some of her muscle mass had returned, and even without her magic, holding her still was no easy feat.
“Drop it,” Taro ordered.
“Or what?” Vexis said playfully, resting her elbows on the dead man’s chest.
Taro used his templar to lift the inscribed medallion from Trezu’s pocket. It hovered in the air for a moment and he used it to strike the side of Vexis’ cheek. It left a deep blue bruise and a bit of blood.
“Oh,” Vexis said, touching her bruise. She stretched out and fingered the cuffs around her hands. “The little boy’s all tough now. Take these off me, and see how tough you really are.”
“I think not,” Taro said, shaking the shiv free from her hand. “The cuffs stay. If I remember correctly, they can only be removed by a person with an open templar. Which means I’m in charge.”
Vexis smiled widely. “For the moment.”
“Why did you kill him?” Taro said, going for the obvious question first.
Vexis stretched again. “Because he looked at me funny.”
Taro gave her a disgusted look.
Vexis seemed to relish his expression. “Or because I didn’t like his shiny bald head. Because my dad sent him. Because he hurt me when I was a child. Because I don’t like left-handed men. Take your pick.”
“Will you cut the crazy and just tell me?”
“He also tried to kill your friend.” Vexis pointed a thumb at Sikes. “So I figured he was expendable.”
Taro knelt beside Sikes and checked him over. “That true?”
Sikes nodded, but his eyes were distant and unreadable.
Taro wasn’t completely convinced, but with every passing moment the situation grew more dire. They had to get out, and at the loss of Trezu made the cost easier. When Taro spoke with Rodrick again, he lowered the cost to ninety crowns. That, coupled with three Helian shekels he was able to pick from Trezu’s body, they would at least be able to find room and board on the way to Helia.
Taro left the disc device with Trezu’s body. It was too cumbersome to keep and would certainly get them into trouble if they were caught with it on the river or road. Moreover, it would draw suspicion away from him and his family if the Magisterium believed the Helian ambassadors were responsible for freeing Vexis.
For her part, Vexis remained quiet as they boarded the Melinda’s Folly. It was a tiny ship, and felt even smaller because it was filled to the brim with crates and cargo. Fine silks, linens on long spools, embroidery, and all manner of dyes. With the exception of the captain’s quarters, and the cramped crew area below, there were no rooms or separate sleeping areas. The passengers stayed above deck in the sun.
“We’re supposed to sleep up here?” Taro said to one of the crewmen. He was remarkably friendly considering that most of the others didn’t give Taro so much as a nod.
“I know how you feel,” the burly man said in a thick Celosan accent. “I don’t know how these Endrans do it, but we’ll be out of range of the Arclight soon.”
The mooring lines were unraveled, the sail canvases were extended, and the ship slowly drifted from the dock. A horn sounded, and the helmsman navigated the ship through the enormous stone archways and portcullises of the city walls.
As they passed through, Taro breathed a hard sigh of relief. If nothing else, at least they were out of the city. Still, he knew that they would never stop chasing Vexis. The further they got from Endra Edûn, the safer they would be.
Chapter Sixteen
The Kingdom
Kyra had never seen her father so tense. If she didn’t know him better, she would’ve said he was afraid. She, on the other hand, really was afraid. As she stared up at Arangathras she could feel the tendons in her body tense and her hair stand on end. She stood close to Magister Briego, stopping short of clutching at his side like a child.
The Curia was empty and her father ordered magisters and warders at every entrance in case the situation turned sour. As the Sun King explained that Vexis had escaped, Arangathras seemed to grow more menacing. His claws clenched tightly, and the muscles in his arm bulged.
“—we’ve got warders sweeping the city for her,” the Sun King said, looking directly at Sivion despite Arangathras’ aggressive stance, “but she’s got experience evading capture, and she could be fifty miles away by now. Your Grace, I assure you I’ll do everything in my power to—”
“There you have it,” Arangathras proclaimed, stabbing a claw in the Sun King’s direction and looking back at his queen. “Did I not tell you? They’re duplicitous, the whole lot of them. They’d rather protect their own than let us meet out justice.”
“This wasn’t our doing,” Magister Briego said diplomatically. “Trezu’s body was discovered near the city docks. Sorkesh died shortly after in a hospital on Core Street. Vexis may have done away with them.”
“Kill her rescuers?” Arangathras said. “That sounds rather convenient for you and rather illogical for her.”
“Clearly you’ve never met Vexis,” Briego said flippantly. “She’s not one for logic. She’s a creature of impulse. But the Helians weren’t killed with shadow magic. That, along with the fact that her magistry cuffs were never found, means it’s likely that she does not have access to templary.”
The Sun King glanced sideways at Arangathras, then back to Sivion; his bright sky-blue eyes seemed a few shades darker than normal. “We mustn’t allow rashness to cloud our judgements. We’ll have the best chance at catching Vexis if we work together.”
Arangathras stepped between t
he Sun King and Sivion, moving so close that Kyra thought the warders would intervene. The dragon’s breath ruffled the Sun King’s hair as he spoke. “Your kind is all the same. Small, feeble creatures with the lifespan of insects. You kill our brother, let his murderer go free, and you caution reason? I should—”
The Sun King glared up at the dragon and stepped closer. “I’m not speaking to you.”
Arangathras reared his bleach-white teeth and looked like he was about to say something, until a soft hand rested on his forearm. Sivion came forward and gently motioned him to stand aside. He did so without hesitation and knelt, with his eyes facing the ground and his wings tucked neatly behind him.
Sivion’s movements were like flowing water, smooth and easy. Her glowing amber eyes traced over the Sun King as if she was looking into his soul. Finally, she spoke. “He’s out of line,” she said, “but not entirely wrong. When others of the Brood hear what’s transpired, they will seek vengeance for Antherion whether I wish it or not.”
“We want no quarrel with your people,” the Sun King said. “We just need time.”
“Time for what, may I ask?” Sivion said cooly.
“I know the Shahl,” the Sun King said. “He’s a pompous, arrogant tyrant, but I don’t think he’d risk war like this. It’s not rational.”
“Reason may have nothing to do with it.” Sivion’s expression dropped, and she looked deep in thought for a moment. “One month. This is the time I will give you to bring her to me.”
“It could take longer if—” Briego began.
“I am the brood-mother. As with any mother, my children will not listen to me forever. If Vexis is not surrendered to us in a timely manner, my children will go through every human town and city for a thousand leagues until they find her. They will not be merciful, and they do not hold the same value for mortal lives as I.”
“And if it turns out that the Shahl freed her?” Kyra asked.
“It is your people who allowed Antherion to be murdered. It is your people who failed to kill Vexis when you had the chance. It is your people who’ve lost Vexis once again. The Helians’ sins do not counter your own, nor negate your responsibilities.”
