The Edge of Shadow, page 13
part #5 of The Kin of Kings Series
Pain traveled up and down his spine. He considered himself lucky not to be seriously hurt. Glancing over, he saw the bed frame had collapsed upon impact, but the mattress still held. He stood and looked around.
The basement had been burned separately from the first floor, purposely so. Heaps of rubble had been clumped together in the center of each room, not one piece of furniture in sight. All of the walls were intact, supporting the ceiling. Someone had sectioned off what seemed to be different storage areas, with the brass rings of barrels still evident among piles of ash.
“Is someone here?” a woman asked from somewhere above Basen. He set down his now glowing akorell bracelet and walked back to the main room to find her poking her head through the cellar doors. “Bastial hell, are you all right? I heard something come down.”
“Fine, thank you.” She looked strangely familiar. “It’s too bad you weren’t here earlier. I had quite a bounce off the mattress after it all came down, but there was no one to witness it.”
She smiled and that’s when he realized it was Jackrie who she resembled. This woman had the same mouth and understanding eyes. Her hair was brown like healthy wood—exactly what Basen needed to fix this place.
“What’s your name?” she asked him.
“Ba…” He stopped himself. It was unlikely that any enemies knew him by name, but he still couldn’t take that risk. “Bayris. And yourself?”
“Millry. What are you doing here? I understand you might not be able to answer honestly.”
“If I don’t have to answer honestly, then why ask?”
“I’m going to need to tell people something when they see me feeding you.”
He couldn’t help his smile. “That’s very kind of you, and I would be happy to pay.”
She gestured for him to come up the stairs. “That’s not necessary.” But she didn’t say the words as if she meant them.
It took him a moment to realize that she didn’t believe he had coin.
“I would like to pay.” He carefully made his way up each step.
She seemed concerned as he reached the top and stood in front of her. “Now you really have to tell me what you’re doing here.”
Second lesson: Don’t make it obvious to others you have coin. You’ll stand out more than if you’d sauntered through with a fancy cape. For the first time, he was thankful he had left his cloak on the roof of a mage classroom. The beginning lesson had been not to trust the floor. He hoped he wouldn’t fail the third lesson, whatever it may be, like he did the last two.
“I’m looking for a place to sleep,” he said with what he hoped was the right amount of shame for someone without a home looking for help. God’s mercy, that’s really what I am. “I don’t have much money, but it should be enough for some food.”
She put up her palm. “You don’t have to say anything more. Come with me, but grab that sack of potatoes. Be careful with them; they’re twice as expensive as they used to be before all this started.”
He noticed as they walked that the sleeve of her right arm covered her entire hand as if she was trying to hide it. “Glad to help.”
“Many people are glad to do a lot these days if it means eating.” She spoke as if this was common knowledge.
He nodded. “It’s been difficult for me as well.”
He was pleased when she led him right into the tavern next door, and even more pleased when she told him she owned the place. “Yes, that is pride you hear and yes, I’m aware that it’s empty. More will come soon, don’t fret.”
“I was hoping to speak to you more anyway, so I’m glad it’s empty.”
“What would you like to know?” She brought him into the kitchen, its cleanliness a welcome change from the abandoned inn. “Set the potatoes down there.” She pointed at the counter.
“I haven’t been to this area of the city before,” he said. “Why are a number of buildings burned?”
“We have a terrible problem with febeetles. If you haven’t been to this area of the city yet, you might not have heard of them.” She reached for a knife, then stood in front of the sack of potatoes. “You’re going to see something not pleasing to the eye,” she warned, then pulled back her long sleeve to reveal a horribly burned hand.
Basen cringed before he could fix his face. “I’m sorry.”
She used that hand to fetch the first potato from the sack, pressing it with her last three fingers against her palm. It didn’t seem as if she could use her thumb or pointer, where most of the damage showed. The injury made her hand look as if someone had pulled back her skin, revealing red and white splotches.
“I’m sorry you have to look at it.”
“It’s not that bad,” he said truthfully. “But it does look painful. What happened?”
She set down her knife to show him a smirk. “Did you not hear the part about the febeetles?”
He shrugged. “I’m hoping to learn about both, but your hand is in front of me and they aren’t.”
“I had a knack for fireballs before I was old enough to realize how dangerous they were.”
That’s what Basen had figured. Unfortunately, burning a hand was a common injury among younger mages. “You didn’t start with training gloves?”
“I was foolish and overconfident, a dangerous combination.”
He stayed out of her way when he realized she needed her concentration to prepare a big enough breakfast for at least six people. Eventually, when she had everything cooking, she wiped her hands and took a deep breath.
“Febeetles,” she began, “are a lot more horrific than my hand. They must’ve come with Ulric, Yeso, and all the men and Elves with them. They look just like black beetles but bigger. They have a taste for meat and nothing else that we know of.” She walked toward him with a menacing look, as if pretending to be one of these little monsters. “They wait until it’s dark, then they climb up your body until they find your flesh. They bite hard, like they know they’re about to be crushed or flung and want the biggest piece of you they can manage first.” She pinched his arm with her good hand.
“Ow. Your description was good enough. I didn’t need a sample.” She grinned mischievously, making no doubt about her flirtation. He figured there wasn’t any real interest, as he was four or five years younger, just that she was having a bit of fun.
“The owner of the building—with the floor you fell through—was frustrated with the infestation of febeetles. He tried to get rid of them, like so many people here have, but they multiply quickly. I told him not to go to the guards. All they do is burn down the building. He had to get a psychic, I kept telling him. It was worth the money for a good one who could get all the pests out of hiding where he could kill them.” She busied herself with her cooking, but that didn’t stop her from shaking her head in disappointment. “He didn’t listen. He thought the guards would help, as they should, but they never do.”
“Are the creatures still there?”
“I don’t think so. The fire is usually as effective as it is destructive, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying that some of them have made their way into the nooks of my place.”
“Do you know where the inn’s owner is now?” Basen asked.
She gave him an inquisitive glance. “I haven’t seen him for days.”
“What kind of man is he?”
“The kind who won’t understand someone trying to use his property, even if he isn’t using it himself.” She showed him eyes of pity. “There’s nowhere else for you to go?”
“I’m fine.”
“Remember that you can come here for meals whenever you want so long as you don’t mind the company of a few older folks who have everything to complain about.”
“I hope you’re not referring to yourself as one of these older folks. You don’t look past twenty.”
She flicked her wrist to point at him. “Smart to compliment your chef.”
After he was full, he returned to the basement of what he deemed would be his new sanctuary and that of all his surviving allies eventually. He set himself to gathering energy in one spot over and over again. Millry invited him back for lunch and supper and politely said nothing of his dwelling in the abandoned basement, where he always returned to gather more energy.
He slept a few hours when night came, then got up and went straight back to gathering more energy. Soon came the familiar feeling. He wouldn’t get much done in the forest at night, so he slept the rest of the hours of darkness away and joined Millry for breakfast. He indulged himself with a quick bath when he was done, and then it was time to go back to the forest.
He used the energy from his akorell stone to create a portal to the underground Slugari colony. With a revitalized spirit, he jogged through the colony to leave it. He faintly heard drumming that went on and on just like before. It even continued as he made his way up and out into the forest.
Smoke was in the air. There was a hill nearby, so he climbed up for a better vantage point. The drumming finally ceased.
A pillar of black, too thin to represent a forest fire, puffed up and spread out over the tops of trees. It was a good distance away, but there might be allies like Basen who would go to investigate. His sole purpose now would be finding as many as he could until he had enough for the next step of his plan. He had to risk a look, knowing all too well that it might only be enemies waiting for him.
Basen didn’t have much practice walking silently through the woods, so using common sense was his only tool. He wouldn’t step on leaves if he could avoid them, choosing rocks or roots instead. He knew he was leaving tracks whenever traversing through the soft dirt, but he covered all he could around the Slugari colony with gentle swipes of his feet.
His stomach turned when he edged close enough to see what was causing the fire.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The fire was still burning when he made it there. The stench was unlike anything he’d smelled before. It was both putrid and sweet, and so rich he could almost taste it. The sight crushed his spirit all over again. Hundreds of his allies lay dead and burning, melting away as if they’d never existed.
Ulric had wanted Basen to see this. Basen wished the Takary was somewhere in this forest, but he knew the forgery of a king sat comfortable on his throne as he waited for his men to hunt Basen down along with nearly everyone he knew. The only thing that could stop this was to kill Ulric and replace him with someone else. Basen could feel his plan changing while fighting back the claw of anger reaching up to grab his thoughts, trying to drag him down into an abyss in which all hope would be lost.
The terrible sight had put him in such a stupor that he didn’t notice the sound of someone coming up behind him until a leaf cracked a few feet away. Instinct took over as he dove to the side. He heard a sword crash into the tree he’d been hiding behind.
“Rebel!” shouted a man in a blue uniform. “Here!”
Suddenly Basen found himself chased by an entire group of them. “Rebel, rebel!” they continued to yell, sparking more voices to sound out around Basen. “Which section?” one asked. “Which direction?” asked another.
“Running toward section twelve! Northern half!”
The bastards had organized! It terrified Basen as he struggled to focus on the bastial energy in his legs.
Just when he was gaining some distance, he was spotted by another group. They obviously knew he’d been seen earlier, because they called to the others that he’d entered section twelve but the southern half of it.
There were even more of them than he first thought. He sprinted around the trees as fast as he could, veering toward the Slugari colony in hopes of losing them. But more kept coming, their shouts never too far behind and always revealing his location.
With a burst of speed, he made it to the colony and finally seemed to be out of sight. But he hesitated before going down through the tunnel. If he was wrong about losing them, and they came down to his sanctuary to fight him, there was no other exit to get back into the forest. He would be trapped, in the dark. He could teleport out, but if they confirmed he’d gone down here only to disappear, they might realize how he escaped and search the cities. Surely there had been talk of a portal mage given everything Basen had done. As soon as Ulric knew to look elsewhere, hope really would be lost for Basen’s allies.
But his gut told him this was his only chance, and it had kept him alive thus far. He’d left the stones scattered around the entrance instead of blocking it, for he wanted no one to know he’d gone down at any point. Thankful for this now, he sped down the tunnel. His head start gave him an opportunity to make light for a while, but eventually he let it out and was forced to slow.
He kept one hand on the wall for guidance, looking back into the glow of day above. His heart shot into his throat when shadows passed into the light.
“Are you sure he went this way?”
“No, we’ll go back and check the tracks as we wait for a mage.”
They would be coming down for sure. But the abandoned colony was enormous. Even with a mage, it could take them hours to search all of it. Basen had to figure out something. Perhaps he could teleport back to the capital and recruit a small army to stand against them. It would make it seem as if Basen had been leading the enemy troops down here for a trap, hiding his ability to make portals.
No. No one would join him, and word of a rebel in the city would spread.
After a while of wading through the sea of darkness, he figured he was a safe enough distance and created a dim glow of energy. He made good time the rest of the way to the akorell metal, but he still had to figure out—
“Basen!”
He jumped and screamed. Then relief washed over him as Sanya made light to show her face. But the relief lasted only for a breath before panic set in again. “There’s many behind me,” he informed her.
“Then we fight.”
“There could be fifty of them coming. They’re just waiting for a mage.”
“Doesn’t matter. We fight.” She grabbed his arm.
He could feel by her grip that she was as weak as she looked. “Have you eaten or slept at all?” he asked.
“Not much, but I’m still willing to trust our odds in battle. Please, Basen.” Her tone was so desperate, it sounded as if she was about to get down on her knees and beg.
Suddenly he realized what this was all about. She’d given up. This was her glorious exit.
He wasn’t about to let this be it for them.
“I have plans to win this war, Sanya. I can’t die here.”
She took in a breath, already looking stronger. “We won’t.”
“Promise me that you fight to live, not to end it all.”
“I promise.”
He wasn’t sure he believed her, but fighting still seemed to be the best choice. He might be able to keep her alive even if she planned to die here.
“Come with me this way.” He led her farther into the cavern, away from the light of the akorell metal. There were many alcoves on either side, but none went very deep into the walls. Eventually he found one that would provide enough cover from fire if a mage shot at them.
He crouched down and continued to make light, but he was disappointed at the sight of Sanya’s tired and worried eyes.
“Here,” he said as he gave her his water pouch. “And I have some food as well. It could be hours until they come, so eat.”
*****
It took a while for Basen to realize how surprising it was for her to be here. “You said you wouldn’t come back.”
Sanya had eaten all the provisions Basen brought. She’d stared at her lap the entire time, and Basen hadn’t disturbed her until now. She swallowed the last morsels and finally glanced over to where he stood resting his back against the wall.
“It isn’t the first time I’ve changed my mind about you,” she said, then stood and brushed crumbs from her pants.
“Why did you change it this time?”
“I had promised myself that, no matter what, I was going to help your side in this war. Anger made me lose sight of it, briefly.”
“I’m glad you changed your mind, but you should’ve stayed with me. You look awful. What did you do after you left?”
“I hunted and killed. I scavenged.”
It was unclear whether she hunted and killed animal or man. Basen supposed it was probably both. The same went for scavenging from the forest and from bodies.
“They guard most of the river,” she said. “And they’ve set up camp in the north of the forest.”
“What of our allies?”
“I haven’t found any. I think they must be gathered somewhere, most likely to the south. I haven’t looked there yet.”
“Then we’ll go there after—”
“Wait,” she interrupted. “Listen.”
They held their breath. The soft crunch of boots against the hard dirt came closer. Basen’s akorell stone was not charged enough for any kind of energy boost, so he pulled out the small amount of BE within and let it disperse into the darkness. No light was on them yet, so he took a look.
There were so many! At least twenty. They headed straight for the akorell alcove and started to move around to cover all avenues of escape, but one man in their group waved his arms as if this was wrong. He pointed in Basen’s direction.
Sanya pulled Basen back into the alcove. “They have a psychic,” she whispered.
“I saw.”
“They’ll know we’re in here.”
“We have a plan for this. Stay in control.”
The enemies slowly came toward them.
They stopped and began to whisper amongst each other. The light from a mage blasted into their alcove.
“We know you’re in there,” announced one man. “We have a psychic. There are two of you, and you are both afraid. But if you come out, we will let you live.”
