A Stone's Throw, page 47
part #2 of The Petralist Series
Evander nodded. “You will find the beginning of truth as you pursue your course. Let it guide you to wisdom.”
The ground shook beside them, spraying dirt and filling the air with the scent of spring planting as Evander’s unique chair rose from the depths. He straddled it, leaned back and, after a final long look at Connor, whirled about and rode back through the cut in the hill. The ground shook again as the hill re-formed.
Connor watched after him, amazed by the man’s presence, intrigued by the conversation, and awed by his mastery over earth powers.
When he turned back toward the pavilion, Frazier was standing close behind him. The maze lord thrust a finger at him and snarled, “Don’t you dare break anything.”
“A great tower, firm against pitched battle, can be felled alone by wind when left desolate and untended.”
“Your Sentry-speak is terrible,” Frazier snapped. “And my Rhidorroch is made of the best possible materials.”
“Then what do you have to worry about?” He clapped Frazier on the shoulder. “Relax. This will be your finest hour. Make it amazing.”
“Aren’t you worried?” Frazier asked, looking genuinely curious.
“There’s one thing you need to know about me,” Connor said. “I love the Rhidorroch as much as you do, and I can’t wait to beat the very best you can throw at me.”
A slow smile spread across Frazier’s face. “Geall on.”
Connor gripped his arm. “Just do me a favor and get your people out of there before I start my run.”
Frazier’s expression turned angry. “I warned you not to break anything.”
“I know what I intend,” Connor said. “But I can’t speak for my opponents. The stakes are high and no one can afford to hold back. Just do it.”
“Very well.” Frazier might be unhappy about it, but he was smart enough to see the truth.
Connor hoped Frazier wouldn’t consider him an enemy after today’s run. He genuinely liked the guy, but he couldn’t afford to hesitate. Knowing the workers would be out of harm’s way helped him focus on the important task at hand. Connor took a deep breath and turned.
Ivor, Redmund, and Padraigin were waiting for him.
Chapter 76
“The weed that springs up between the flagstones is pulled before its flower buds,” Redmund said with a frown.
Connor grinned. “How many hours do you practice in front of the mirror every night?”
“It comes to him naturally,” Padraigin said, taking Connor’s hands and squeezing them. She smiled, her face beaming. “Comes from burying his head in the sand for so long.” She kissed Connor’s leather-wrapped cheek. “Thanks again for your help.”
“A fortunate accident,” Connor said.
Ivor approached and extended a hand. “Great entry, Kilian. I liked it enough to want you to win a nomination so we could compete against each other.”
“Until you chose that team,” Padraigin said with a grimace. “What were you thinking?”
“A mighty stone, marred by invisible cracks, crumbles under the force of a single, well-placed hammer.”
Redmund looked impressed by the Sentry-speak, but Ivor grimaced. “You’ll need more than a hammer to win through the Rhidorroch. A shame, really. I wanted to beat you.”
“If I lose, maybe I’ll petition to join your army,” Connor suggested.
If he didn’t turn into a rage monster and get put down like a rabid wolf.
“I’d be open to the suggestion.”
“Tallan’s glory, you won’t,” Padraigin said. “I want you, if anyone’s to have you.”
“Let’s wait until I lose first,” Connor said, pleased by the reception. “Who knows? I might even win.”
“Never,” Redmund said.
“And what wager will you make to back that up?” Connor asked.
Redmund hesitated, and Ivor said, “You have to offer something, ground-walker.”
He scowled at Ivor, then at Connor. “Braying of hounds deters not the lion, but often leads the hunter to the prey.”
“Oh, you’re such a coward,” Padraigin called after Redmund, who left without acknowledging her. “He’s just jealous.”
“I think I’ll wish you luck,” Ivor said. “This year’s competition is shaping up to be spectacular.”
“Thanks. I’ve got to brief my team.” Connor excused himself and walked over to where his chosen force had gathered.
Catriona met him with hands on hips, her expression disapproving. “If you damage my standings with this farce, I don’t care how many masks you wear, I’ll tear them all off and shove them down your throat.”
Connor placed a hand on her shoulder. “Princess, I chose you for a reason. I’ve watched your rapid move up the standings in recent days.”
“You have?” Her bluster faded.
“Indeed. Your determination to succeed, despite long odds, is worthy of your station.”
She smiled, straightening. “It is, isn’t it?”
“And when we win today, everyone will assume that your poor performance earlier this season was all an act, part of an elaborate geall the two of us are running.”
Her smile widened into a grin. “They would, wouldn’t they?”
“I guarantee it.” He squeezed her shoulder. “I need your help, Princess. Are you with me?”
“Yes!” With the chance to redeem herself in the eyes of the other students, she’d commit to his plan without reservation. Probably.
He turned to Lorcc, who was watching him curiously.
“And why did you pick me?” Lorcc asked.
“Because you’re not only the fastest Strider in your class, and a natural leader, but you’re also the best archer.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“More than you can imagine. Get yourself a bow and some arrows with blunted tips. We’re going to have some fun.”
Lorcc grinned and saluted. “Yes, sir. This is either going to be the most amazing run of the Rhidorroch of all time, or it’ll be a complete disaster. Either way, I can’t wait to see what you have planned.” He rushed off, laughing.
Connor turned to Declan, who looked terrified. “Declan, you’ll play a critical role in today’s run.”
“You can’t be serious,” Declan stammered. “I can barely raise a four-foot tower.”
“The tallest mountain avails little when the path leads through canyons,” Connor said.
Declan frowned, thinking about that for a moment. Then his face brightened. “That’s pretty good.”
“You’re welcome to use it any time. I’ve known a few Sentries.”
“So what do you need me to do?” Declan asked, looking a bit more relaxed.
“Defeat Mactail.”
Declan seemed to wilt, his face turning gray, as if he’d max-tapped granite. He shook his head vigorously. “There’s no way. He’s so strong.”
“That’s why you’ll win,” Connor said, projecting confidence despite his own misgivings. Mactail was a competent Sentry, and in any normal competition, he’d sweep the ground with Declan. Connor didn’t plan any conventional assaults though. Declan needed to feel confident, needed to feel like he had a chance, or they were in for an extremely difficult time.
“How?” Declan pleaded.
“Listen carefully.” Connor talked fast, hoping no Pathfinders were listening. If Mactail learned of the scheme, they were doomed.
After two full minutes, Declan stopped shaking with fear and a hesitant smile pulled at the corners of his lips. “It might just work.”
“It will,” Connor insisted. “Trust yourself, Declan. You’ve held the course all season, even though they’ve laughed in your face the entire time. After today, no one will ever laugh again.”
Declan stood straighter. He believed.
If only Connor could be so sure.
Lorcc returned, brandishing a bow, with a full quiver on his back.
Connor extended a hand. “You are my team, the first of my army. No general can succeed without great troops. Today will be our first, and perhaps our greatest, victory.”
Declan gripped his hand, followed by Catriona, then Lorcc. “Victory is a state of mind,” Connor said. “Feel it. Know it, and we’ve already won.”
Lorcc grinned. “Now we’d probably better go prove it to everyone.”
“Absolutely.”
Connor turned to lead the way toward the Rhidorroch, but paused.
Shona waited for him.
Chapter 77
“Give me a minute,” Connor told his team.
They took one look at Shona, who ignored them, her gaze locked on Connor, her expression stony, and fled as a group.
Shona marched up to him and Connor bowed. “My lady.”
“Shield us,” she snapped, her tone cold and hard.
Connor drew upon the nearby waters and raised a shimmering, circular wall around the two of them. Fire might have been more spectacular, but he needed to think, and fire tended to push him to make rash moves. He couldn’t risk it, not in the face of Shona’s wrath.
Instead of striking him, Shona threw her arms around his neck, buried her face against his neck, and sobbed.
Connor held her awkwardly, stunned by the reaction. He’d never seen her so shaken.
“I’m sorry, Shona,” he muttered. “It was all a big mistake.”
“Oh, Connor, how could you?” she cried, pushing away and wiping at her tear-streaked face. “I was so frightened. You have no idea. I almost died when I saw that letter.”
“Ilse confused me,” he said, hating to use the Grandurian captain as a scape-goat, but not able to think of any better option. “I just wanted to know the truth about them, to be sure.”
“If you’d left, they never would have let you return,” Shona cried, gripping his face in her hands. Her skin felt hot, almost feverish. “I was so angry, Connor, I rescinded patronage.”
He staggered, horrified. “You can’t! Shona, Hector broke out of the hospital and Rory rescinded patronage in the name of your father. He turned unclaimed right there.”
“What are you talking about?” Shona exclaimed. “Impossible.”
“I saw it,” Connor insisted. “He was trying to murder Ailsa.”
“He wouldn’t,” Shona interrupted.
“Trust me. Rory and I intercepted him. Lord Dail was there too. When he refused to surrender, Lord Dail confirmed his status of unclaimed and he changed.” He took her hands. “Shona, he changed into a monstrous beast and nearly killed us all.”
“Poor Hector,” Shona gasped.
Connor frowned. “Poor Hector almost ate us all for lunch.”
“I’m glad you’re all safe,” Shona insisted. “But he served my family with honor for many years.”
“He might have served with honor, but he ended as an insane rage monster,” Connor said, shivering at the memory of Hector-monster fighting through his elemental powers, murder in its glowing red eyes.
“Tell me about what happened,” she said, softly stroking his hand.
So he did. He felt proud that his voice never cracked, and that he maintained a calm, level voice as he tried to describe the horror that Hector transformed into, followed by the desperate struggle to defeat him.
“It must have been terrible,” she said, her expression troubled. “I’ve never heard of someone falling to the unclaimed curse so quickly.”
“Have you seen it happen before?” Connor asked.
“Not in person. Always the stories come from distant villages where some misguided soul thinks they don’t need patronage, that it’s not really important, or that they’re strong enough to withstand a corrupted curse on their own. A lot of people die because of their foolishness.” As she spoke, she gave him a meaningful look, one eyebrow raised.
“I get it now,” he assured her. “But you have to restore patronage, or the same thing will happen to me.”
“I’ve already reclaimed you,” she said, then frowned again. “The loss of patronage for Hector should have required a more formal declaration from my father. He served with distinction for so many years, I would have thought he’d have been granted more time before falling to it.”
“Maybe the process accelerated because of his powder addiction,” Connor suggested.
“Perhaps.” She still looked troubled, but took a deep breath and squeezed his hand. “And yet you still had the presence of mind to save Lord Dail.”
“I couldn’t just let him die.”
“Of course not,” she agreed. “But now he owes us a life debt.” A little smile playing across her full lips. “You did wonderfully, Connor. Well, other than abandoning me to destruction.”
“I did what I had to,” he said, his tone short. Her focus on the games and leveraging every advantage was irritating. He was too tired to pretend.
“And now you have to serve me,” she ordered, giving him her most imperious look. “There’s no time for second-guessing, Connor. There’s too much at stake. You have to commit to me, swear your loyalty, and commit without reservation.”
“I swear it,” he said, forcing conviction into his voice, even though the words were like stone weights in his mouth. He was swearing to the life he’d hoped just hours ago to avoid. “On my honor as your Guardian, I will serve you.”
Shona breathed a sigh of relief and hugged him tight. He’d never wanted to hurt her, and seeing how deeply he’d rattled her made him feel a bit better about his new path. She really did need him. That would have to be enough.
Shona whispered into his ear, “Know this, Connor. If you ever break my trust again, your entire village will pay the price. I’ll see that every last one of them is enslaved. Starting with your Aunt Ailsa, and your parents.”
“But they don’t have anything to do with this,” Connor exclaimed, horrified by the threat. He’d always hoped his family would be spared because of the critical work they did in the quarry. To hear her speak such a threat, to see the intent in her eyes, made it terrifyingly real.
“It doesn’t matter,” Shona shot back. “This isn’t a game any more, Connor.”
“I thought everything was part of the game,” he retorted before thinking better of it.
Shona reared back, one hand raised to strike, but she restrained herself, her hand quivering with anger and her eyes flashing with rage. “Don’t make me your enemy, Connor. I’ve only ever wanted to help you reach your full potential. You need to understand there’s more going on than your childish whims. You have a responsibility to your nation and to me, just as I have responsibility to my house and to my father. I’m offering you a better life than any Guardian has ever enjoyed. The alternative is destruction for both of us. Don’t imagine you’re the only one facing ugly choices. We don’t get to choose the burdens placed upon us. All we can do is choose to bear them up with honor. Can you do that, Connor?”
The passion in her tone surprised him. He was glimpsing hints of Shona’s life that she never revealed. For the first time he wondered what other burdens she dealt with, that she never complained about. He felt like a fool, like a child. He needed to become a man, or his family was going to suffer.
“I’ll do whatever you want, Lady Shona,” he said sincerely. “I swear it.”
She took his hands, her expression softening. “That’s all I ever wanted, Connor. Together we can make everything work out, but only if we work as a team. I need you.”
“I am yours to command,” he assured her. “And I will win these games for you.”
She drew close and tenderly kissed his lips. The abrupt shift left him unsettled. He didn’t know what to expect from her.
“Start by winning the nomination,” she said. “Win it, and I can assure you patronage.”
“I’ll win it.”
“If you lose,” she said. “I don’t think I can save you.”
“Then prepare Rory,” Connor said, despite the terror clawing at his innards. “Because if I turn unclaimed, he’ll have to kill me before I can murder everyone.”
She gripped his hand, her expression grim. “Geall on.”
“Geall on,” he repeated.
They were so grouted.
Chapter 78
By the time Connor and his small team reached the Rhidorroch, escorted through the crowd by Captain Rory and his Fast Rollers, the Sentry class had raised banks of earth all around the compound. They reared high above the wall in stepped tiers, providing seating for the thousands of eager spectators. Frazier was arguing with the professor, who was assuring him they’d return everything exactly as it had been, and that nothing would be damaged.
Connor doubted Frazier was fooled.
He led his team onto the observation platform where Lord Dail, the high lord representatives, and school administrators were gathered. Shona stood with them, and she gave him a reassuring smile, looking eager and worried at the same time.
Thankfully, Lord Dail decided to make another long-winded speech, giving Connor time to study the course, which was still being reconfigured. The entire maze had been removed, every section lowered into the underground cavern below the field. The Rhidorroch looked desolate without those tight-packed stone walls. While Lord Dail talked about the great honor of competing as champion, the duty owed by Guardians to their patrons, and the weight of history that would judge their actions, the maze began to appear.
As the individual sections began to rise, Connor struggled to piece together the unique configuration. Frazier had embraced his flair for the dramatic for the important run. The course wasn’t being raised systematically from front to back as was the usual case, but segments rose all across the field, as if at random, making it impossible to read the course until it was completed.
The configuration was different than any Connor had before seen. Frazier had accepted the challenge to make the configuration memorable and produced a complex maze full of arcing, graceful curves rather than the normal perpendicular passages. Connor wasn’t sure how they managed to reshape it so dramatically in so short a time. The man really was the maze lord.
More interesting, instead of a solid, confusing course with a single, convoluted path from beginning to end, the new maze included a small, central court with a hole at the center. Connor picked out three separate paths from the entrance slide, all leading to that central court. From there, only one exit led through more eye-twisting contortions before reaching the ultimate exit.
