Shadow Magic, page 7
“Probably thought you’d chew her up one side and down the other,” Yosef said.
“Perhaps,” Kent said. “However, I think she actually enjoyed doing something sneaky more than she might admit. Anyway, we talked for a while and eventually she invited me to her birthday celebration. I thought the idea a poor one but at her insistence I promised to think about it.”
“Why’d you finally change your mind?” Vilos asked.
“Because, despite my intentions to the contrary, I did think about what Shara said. I did some serious thinking about why I was angry with you. At first I was angry because you beat me in the war. After a while I realized I no longer cared that I’d lost the war and that I was happier as a merchant than I ever could have been as sultan. My anger remained more as a reflex.”
“If you never really wanted to be sultan, why did we fight the Crown War? With you supporting me no one would have backed Nord.”
“I only realized my error in hindsight. At the time, I wanted to rule very much. Now I realize what I wanted was the trappings of the office, the wealth and power rather than the responsibility. When I came to that final conclusion the anger just faded away. That’s when I decided to attend the party.”
Kent cleared his throat and looked away from his brother. There seemed to be more he wanted to say but he couldn’t quite get it out. Vilos remained patient, trying to absorb what Kent had said.
Finally Kent looked him in the eye and said, “I’m glad you won the war. You’ve ruled well, much better than I could have. And the less said about Nord, the better.”
Vilos stared at his brother. He knew how hard it must have been for Kent to say that. Perhaps he really did want to put the past behind them. Vilos felt his throat tighten. To lose a daughter and regain a brother in less than a day was a lot to take in.
At last he said, “Welcome home, brother.”
Yosef cleared his throat and Vilos decided it was time to get back on track. “What about this insight of yours?”
“Of course,” Kent said. “The reason I believe this sorcerer left you alive is so you’ll draw Shara back here.”
“He said he wanted me to watch as the High Kingdom gets torn apart,” Vilos said.
“Perhaps he does, but remember his main goal is to capture Shara. What better bait to draw her home than her father?”
Vilos nodded. It made sense. “Even if you’re right, what can we do about it?”
Kent leaned forward in his chair and pressed his fingertips together. “I suggest we try and find her first.”
“How?” Yosef asked. “We have neither the manpower nor the time to search.”
“I have agents in every major city in the world. I can contact them and tell them to keep an eye out. She’s bound to emerge somewhere and when my people find her they can deliver a message telling her to stay away from the High Kingdom until we find a way to deal with the sorcerer.”
“You have agents?” Vilos asked. “Why would a merchant need a spy network?”
Kent smiled at his brother. “Do you know the secret to a successful business?”
“Gold,” Yosef spat.
“Wrong,” Kent said, “Information is the key. If I know more than my competitors, I can swoop in and steal away a deal before they’re even aware of it. My network is the single biggest reason I’m the richest merchant in the High Kingdom.”
“Why offer it to us?” Yosef asked.
Vilos said nothing but he’d thought the same thing.
Kent sighed. “Believe it or not, I’ve become quite fond of my niece over the past few months. I don’t wish to see her harmed. If I can help, I will.”
Vilos nodded. “Fair enough. There’s one more thing you should know. The sorcerer is planning to visit you. He’s going to offer you my stone soldiers.”
“Why?” Kent asked.
Vilos grinned. “Because, like me an hour ago, he thinks you still hate me and will use them to attack me and my soldiers.”
“Excellent, this could work to our advantage. If I control the stone soldiers we can use them against the sorcerer.”
“I wouldn’t try it unless you’re contemplating suicide. Those golems won’t obey any order he disapproves of.”
“I see. Well, at least if I have them they won’t be used against you.”
Vilos nodded; again his brother had a point. “One last thing, he’s giving Heat’s Bane to Nord.”
“No,” Kent said. “With a weapon like that, Nord will turn his army south and attack the High Kingdom. He’s nearly conquered the Broken Kingdom as it is.”
“How do you know so much about Nord?” Yosef asked.
“A wizard in my employ checks up on him from time to time.”
Vilos got to his feet. “All right, do what you can to find Shara. If you learn anything have your wizard do a sending.” He held out his hand which Kent gave a firm shake.
“I should go,” Kent said. “The sooner I get home, the sooner I can start sending messages. It was good to see you again, Vilos.”
Vilos smiled and clapped his brother on the back. “Likewise.”
The three men exited the tent and Vilos waved as his brother walked toward the main gate.
When Kent had gone Yosef asked, “Do you trust him?”
“No,” Vilos said. “But if he can help find Shara, I’ll take my chances.”
“Yes, Majesty. What now?”
“Go see to your men,” Vilos said. “I’m going to get breakfast.”
They parted company and Vilos headed toward the nearest cook fire. He hadn’t gone far when he heard someone crying. The sound came from a small clump of trees. Curious, he walked around behind the trees and found Sarafin weeping softly.
“Sarafin?” he said.
She must not have heard him coming because she looked up startled then looked quickly away and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t be. You heard about Shara?”
She nodded. “They say she disappeared. That she was captured by a wizard.”
Vilos groaned. He knew the rumors would fly as soon as someone noticed Shara was missing. “She wasn’t captured. Can I trust you with a secret?”
Sarafin snuffled and nodded.
“A mission’s underway to find her. It shouldn’t be long before she’s home.”
Sarafin brightened. “That’s wonderful, but she’ll miss my wedding.”
“Perhaps you can postpone it until she returns,” Vilos said.
“I don’t know. My fiancé is anxious to get married as soon as possible. I don’t think he’d be willing to wait.”
Vilos smiled and laid a reassuring hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Perhaps if I asked him to wait, as a favor to the Crown…”
“Oh, Your Majesty, I’m sure he would.”
“I thought so. Now, would you like to join me for breakfast?”
“Well, I’ve eaten once already, but, okay.”
Chapter 11
The shadow demon returned to Daktari’s lab before dawn. It emerged from the shadow of a small brazier near his crystal ball. Daktari had followed the demon’s progress through the night. It had killed six nomad families and poisoned every oasis in the High Kingdom.
He should have been horrified at the atrocity, but all he felt was a cold satisfaction that his plan was moving forward.
When Ulibo had fully emerged from the shadow Daktari said, “Well done. I didn’t think you could complete your task all in one night.”
“I enjoyed it.” The demon formed a smile on its blank face.
“I know,” Daktari said. “I watched you work. Thank you for your efforts on my behalf.”
“You’re sending me back?” The demon looked crestfallen.
“I have nothing more for you right now. Still, if you’d like to stay and watch the carnage, you’re welcome. I’m sure I can find something amusing for you to do.”
“Thank you, Master. I have grown weary of Hell.”
“As you wish. I must leave now and see to the next stage of my plan.” Daktari gestured and Heat’s Bane drifted over to him. “Come, Bane.”
His homunculus flapped over, settled on his shoulder, and they teleported away.
Daktari appeared in the Broken Kingdom, his arrival unnoticed by man or beast. Lucky for him he’d spent a fair amount of time in the Broken Kingdom and knew several secure places to appear. The sun hadn’t yet risen, but Daktari and Bane had no trouble seeing their surroundings. They’d appeared behind a small clump of trees near a long fallow field. What remained of a farmhouse lay collapsed and rotten on the far side of the blackened earth.
“Find the mercenaries, Bane.”
Bane leapt off his master’s shoulder and flew through the night sky. He hadn’t been gone a minute when a thought appeared in Daktari’s mind.
Found them, Master.
Excellent, I’ll be there in a moment.
Daktari left Heat’s Bane floating behind the trees and teleported to his homunculus. Bane perched in a tree just outside the mercenary camp. Daktari glanced over his shoulder and could see the farmer’s field. He’d gotten closer than he’d hoped. Turning his attention back to the camp, Daktari let his mind drift until he located the eight sentries posted around the perimeter. He felt them fall to the ground as his paralysis spell took hold. Content that they wouldn’t be disturbed, Daktari sought out Nord.
He found the fallen prince asleep between a pair of whores in the center of camp. Bane fluttered down to his shoulder and they drifted silently through the darkness. It would have been so simple to kill them all, probably would have made the world a better place too, but these mercenaries had their jobs to do. Besides, killing useful pawns was a waste and he hated waste.
Halfway through the camp, Daktari felt a subtle probe from another wizard. Still half asleep, Nord’s wizard had sensed his presence. Before he could fully awaken, Daktari mentally bludgeoned the weakling into unconsciousness.
He arrived at Nord’s tent and found a guard sleeping in front of the flap. With a thought he wrapped the guard in a cocoon of purple energy and left him floating in midair. He stepped inside the tent then surrounded it with a dome of energy to keep out the excessively brave and loyal.
Inside, Nord lay snoring between a pair of naked women. The women looked ill-used judging from the number of bruises covering their otherwise exquisite bodies. Disgusted, Daktari hurled them through ethereal portals. He had no idea where they’d end up, but anywhere would be an improvement. Someone would get a nice surprise when those two beauties appeared nearby. He hoped it was somewhere warm lest they catch a chill.
Now that he had removed all the distractions, he woke Nord with a mental slap. The big man sat up and looked stupidly at his empty bed and the stranger standing before him. “Who the hell are you?”
“My name is irrelevant. However, your actions in the next few minutes will decide if I become your best friend or your worst enemy.”
Nord snorted in contempt. “What could a little man like you do for me?” He rose to his full six-foot-eight-inch height. Daktari shook his head. This walking mountain outweighed him by a hundred and fifty pounds, at least.
“Get dressed,” Daktari said. “The sight of you disgusts me.”
“No one orders Prince Nord around.” The fool raised his fist over his head, obviously meaning to crush Daktari with a single blow.
His fist came crashing down on Daktari’s head.
It might as well have struck a stone pillar for all the good it did.
One of the score of magical defenses that surrounded Daktari at all times crackled to life. A jolt of energy passed through Nord and every muscle in his body contracted. He tried to scream but his jaw was clamped too tight to let any sound escape.
Daktari let him suffer for a slow ten count before negating the spell. Nord’s muscles went limp and he collapsed into his bed.
“I trust you won’t require another demonstration,” Daktari said. “I do so hate slow learners.”
Nord managed to shake his head.
“Excellent. I have other matters that require my attention, so I’ll get straight to the point. I am the reason you lost the war twenty years ago. I made a deal with your brother. In exchange for the stone soldiers and Heat’s Bane, Vilos promised me his firstborn daughter. He betrayed me and sent his daughter temporarily beyond my reach. He must pay for his betrayal.”
Nord had managed to sit up by now. “So, what do you want with me?”
“I have chosen you as one of the instruments of my revenge.”
Daktari’s eyes blazed with purple fire. Nord scrunched down into the pillows. Daktari allowed himself a small smile. He had the idiot cowed now.
“I’m not stingy with my allies.” He snapped his fingers and Heat’s Bane appeared, floating in the tent. “Recognize this?”
“My brother’s sword.” The greed in Nord’s eyes turned Daktari’s stomach. Still, greed had its uses.
“You will march your army south and attack the High Kingdom. Destroy your brother’s army and all those loyal to him. Do not harm Vilos. I want him alive to watch his kingdom fall apart. Should you get your hands on Princess Shara, you will turn her over to me, unharmed. In return, you may keep the sword and rule in your brother’s place. Agreed?”
“What about the stone soldiers?”
Smarter than he thought. “The stone soldiers are for Kent. He will attack from the south and you from the north. Together you will smash Vilos.”
“Two questions,” Nord said. “What did you promise Kent? If I’m to rule, what’s left for him? Second, I’ve nearly finished conquering the Broken Kingdom. If I leave now, all my efforts will have been for nothing.”
“As for the Broken Kingdom,” Daktari said. “There’s no need for you to head south today. With Heat’s Bane’s power, you could consolidate your control here in a week or two of hard campaigning. As for Kent, I haven’t offered him the golems yet, so I don’t know what he’ll want.”
“Suppose I say no.”
Daktari glowered and summoned the purple fire back to his eyes. “Then I hope you like pain.”
Nord’s laugh sounded a little hysterical. “In that case, I accept your generous offer.”
“Splendid.” They spent the next half an hour going over Heat’s Bane’s various powers and how to call them forth. When Daktari felt satisfied that Nord understood how the sword worked he said, “Know this. I will stomach no more betrayals. Cross me and yours will be a death to make demons quail.”
With that he vanished in an inferno of purple flames.
Daktari appeared about one hundred yards outside the mercenary camp. “Do you trust this fool, Master?” Bane asked.
“No, I think it will be necessary to keep an eye on our would-be ally.”
“Not me, Master, please. I couldn’t stand following that oaf around.”
Daktari scratched his homunculus between the wings. “No, Bane, not you. I wouldn’t like to lose you for the months of observation necessary. I thought maybe a lava imp.”
“Good choice, Master,” Bane said.
Daktari drew a circle of flame in the air about two feet around. He spoke a word of power and a stream of fire flew from his left hand until the circle had filled and become a disk of flame. Daktari began the chant that would transform the disk into a portal to the elemental plane of fire. When the spell concluded he commanded, “Zin, come forth.”
Zin was the name of one of half a dozen lava imps he knew. The minor spirits were useful for simple tasks like spying and carrying messages. Wind spirits were even better suited to the task, but he had always preferred servants capable of action should the need arise.
A ball of flame emerged from the portal and shifted into a humanoid figure about two feet tall with small wings and a barbed tail. “It’s cold here, sorcerer, send me home or…” One look at Daktari’s frowning face silenced the imp. “Forgive me, Master.”
Daktari ignored the apology and conjured a foot-tall illusion of Nord. “Follow this man. Watch every move he makes. I will contact you for regular updates.”
“As you command, Master. Where can I find this human?”
Daktari pointed toward the camp. Zin drifted off to look for Nord, using its magic to become invisible.
“That should do, Bane. Let’s go home. Tonight we visit Silvermane.”
Chapter 12
“What do you mean I’m your prisoner?” Shara was so angry she hardly even noticed the crossbow pointed at her.
“I mean,” Robert said, “you’d better do as you’re told or I’ll start slicing at your toes and work my way up.”
He said it in such a cold, unemotional voice Shara fell into stunned silence. She hadn’t the slightest doubt he’d do just what he said.
One of the women disengaged from the group and slithered over toward them. Shara gave the woman a disdainful glance. As she got closer Shara realized how striking she looked with long black hair tied back in a ponytail and the most piercing blue eyes Shara had ever seen. Cords of muscle flexed on her bare arms as she approached.
Though lean and well muscled there was nothing masculine about the way she carried herself or the way she filled out the top of her leather armor. The only flaw Shara could see was a ragged scar on her right cheek and even that seemed to add to rather than detract from her beauty.
Robert dropped his crossbow as the woman approached. He seemed to think Shara wouldn’t try and escape with all the others watching her.
The woman wrapped her arms around Robert’s neck and purred, “Miss me, Bobby?”
Robert slid his arms around the woman’s waist. “Every moment hurt, Blade.”
Blade glanced over her shoulder at Shara. “Sure you didn’t find some other amusement?”
Robert grinned. “You know the rules, Blade. Never play with the merchandise.”
Shara’s mouth hung open. That woman thought Robert had had sex with her. And what did they mean by merchandise?
