Reclaiming the Frost, page 18
The sun had well and truly set when they reached the edge of the forest. Roska loosely tethered the horse to a low tree branch, allowing the animal plenty of room to graze and reach the river for fresh water, then he and Demoni slunk to the very edge of the trees. Demoni moved from her position across his shoulders to coil around his forearm, breathing her ice into his hand as he called forth his own power. They mixed their magics to form a pair of small field mice.
Roska knelt down in the tall grass and let the mice loose in the field. As they raced across the open plain, Roska closed his eyes and focused on the first mouse. It was in the lead, bounding through the grass that now felt as tall as mountains. He took a deep breath and inhaled the scents of wet dirt and sweetgrass. The mouse reached the stone wall surrounding the compound in moments. Without warning, it shattered into a million tiny pieces, forcefully thrusting Roska back into his own mind.
What the hells? Roska glared at the walls surrounding the fortress of the compound.
Demoni blinked back into her body, her mouse having been demolished by some unseen force as well.
Roska was about to form a second pair of mice when he saw a figure shuffling on the other side of the windows in the compound wall. Slinking farther into the woods, Roska and Demoni pooled their magic and formed a fly, sending it buzzing across the field to peer into the windows of the compound. If they couldn’t get inside, they could at least see what was going on through the windows.
Following the figure, Roska tried to get the fly ahead of the man, hoping to identify him or at least learn where he was going in the middle of the night. He was shocked when he caught sight of the man’s face.
Lou?
Roska lost his focus, and the fly flew into the compound wall, shattering the ice and leaving Roska staring, confused and disoriented, in the woods with Demoni still coiled around his forearm.
He searched the windows, trying to find the old spy, but he’d lost sight of him.
What the hells is Lou still doing in there? We left him weeks ago, he wondered silently.
Demoni shifted on his arm, climbing farther up his body to settle on his shoulders. He did say he had another mission to complete here.
Shyt. Someone’s coming.
The side gate they’d used to rescue Brigit swung open and a hooded figure slipped out of the compound, closing the gate soundlessly behind them. Roska watched the figure creep quickly and quietly from the compound, heading straight for them.
We should move, Demoni said as the figure crossed the field with unexpected speed.
Ducking beneath some low tree branches, Roska and Demoni hid in the shadows of a cluster of saplings, keeping an eye on the hooded figure.
Just as the figure was about to breach the woods and be upon them, it vanished into the shadows.
What the mux? Where did they go?
Demoni shifted on his shoulder, angling her body to see around the bush, trying to get a better vantage point.
They couldn’t have just disappeared. That’s impossible. Roska felt a sudden chill in the air, the hairs on the back of his neck standing at attention.
“Well, hello, cher. I didn’t expect to see you two so soon.” Lou was standing directly behind them, a cocky grin split across his face, showing off that chipped tooth again.
“Muxing hells,” Roska swore, nearly falling on his ass as he jumped at Lou’s voice.
“How did you do that?” Demoni asked, her question more of an accusation than an actual query.
Lou winked. “I can’t give away all my little tricks, now can I? Where’s the fun in that?” He turned and started walking back toward their campsite.
How did he even know we were here?
Roska shrugged in answer to Demoni’s question, but he quickly rose and followed the Shadowcloak to their smothered fire and tethered horse.
Roska set up fresh, dry wood and restarted their fire, all the while watching Lou move about the campsite as though he’d known they were here all along.
Once he got the fire going and Lou was settled across from him, Roska decided it was time for answers. “What are you doing here? How did you disappear like that? How did you know we were here?”
Lou chuckled, pulling a bundle of something from within the folds of his cloak, and began slowly unwrapping it. “Skippin’ the pleasantries then? All right, cher. Let me first say that I knew you were here because you aren’t as stealthy as you think. Hells, boy, you were sitting out in the open on the edge of the woods just staring at me. That hair of yours practically glows in the moonlight. What in the name of the Mother were you doing out there?”
Heat spread up Roska’s neck at the admonishment. He thought they’d been better hidden than that. “I’ve been sent back here to retrieve something. That’s not important right now,” Roska snapped, trying to hide his embarrassment behind a facade of annoyance. “Why were you sneaking around in the compound in the middle of the night? And what is that thing?”
Lou had finished unwrapping the bundle, pulling out a jagged, violet crystal and holding it up to inspect in the firelight. “Magic doesn’t work in the compound,” he said, turning the crystal back and forth in his hands.
Roska stared at the man, confused by the non sequitur as well as the startlingly pretty item in his hands.
Magic doesn’t work in the compound, Demoni repeated firmly in his mind. That’s why our ice animals exploded.
Roska shook his head, mentally chastising himself for forgetting such vital information. Niko had told him that from the start. He should have known better than to try and infiltrate the compound with creatures made entirely of magic.
“What does that have to do with why you’re here?” Roska tried to get the conversation back on point.
“I was sent here to infiltrate the Brotherhood, cher. Infiltrate and then do anything I can to bring them down from the inside.” He tossed the crystal over the fire to Roska. The second it touched his skin, Roska knew it was no ordinary stone. There was a warmth radiating off the gemstone, and a low thrum of power resonated within. Roska turned the stone over in his hands, studying it as Lou continued. “From what I’ve gleaned, that stone is powering their anti-magic barrier. Once I destroy it, magic will be able to enter the compound again.” He looked pointedly at Roska. “This isn’t the only magical artifact their Grand Maester has in his arsenal. It’s not even the only one I’ve seen him use. Based on what I’ve seen, this stone blocks magic from coming in, but doesn’t stop magic from being used within the compound walls.”
“What are you saying?” Demoni asked, slithering down Roska’s arm to rest on top of a stone near the fire.
“I’m saying, mon petit dragon, that the Grand Maester can and does use magic within the compound.”
“No,” Roska spoke without thinking. “That’s impossible. The man abhors magic.” Even as the words left his mouth, though, he knew it wasn’t true. He’d felt the barrier shatter his ice creatures. Castor had already informed them of the shield’s existence. It was obvious that Grand Maester Auron didn’t object to using magic when it benefitted him.
“Cher.” Lou’s voice held a tone of compassion and sadness that pulled at Roska. “I know this is hard to accept, but it’s undeniable. The man is a hypocrite. It’s that simple. Now, let’s destroy this thing so I can go home. I’m sure my beloved is getting restless. I’ve been gone longer than I’d like.”
Roska was intrigued by Lou’s mention of a significant other, but he didn’t ask. If Lou wanted to talk about them more, there would be plenty of time once the magical barrier was removed from the compound.
Roska attempted to freeze the stone and smash it with a rock, but his powers didn’t seem to work on it. Hells, the stone simply absorbed his ice the instant it made contact with the shiny purple surface. He turned to Lou, eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. “Any other ideas?”
Lou reached into his cloak once more, pulling out a pickaxe with a sly smile. “How about this?”
“How the hells did you fit that in there?” Roska stared at the man in confusion. There was definitely more to Lou than he knew.
Lou didn’t answer. Instead, he took the stone from Roska’s hand and laid it on a flat rock beside the fire. He looked over his shoulder at Roska. “Might want to step back a bit, cher. I’m not really sure how this will work.”
Roska scooped Demoni up and moved behind a thick tree, peeking around the trunk to watch.
Lou raised the pickaxe above his head, shifted his weight, and brought the tip of the axe down with exacting precision. A loud crack echoed through the forest, but the stone didn’t break. Lou lifted the axe again, took aim, and swung with all his might. The sound of the stone shattering was akin to lightning striking directly in front of him. The air split with an explosive crack, the deafening roar of raw power unleashed around them, knocking both men to the ground and terrifying the horse. Roska was nearly trampled by the beast’s attempts to flee. Thankfully, the tether kept the horse from escaping, but it took several minutes to calm the stallion.
“WHAT THE MUX WAS THAT?!” Roska yelled over the ringing in his ears, glaring at Lou, who was still lying on the forest floor, laughing like a crazed fool.
Stop shouting, Demoni scolded. The Brothers could come looking for what caused that explosion. Your yelling will lead them straight to us.
She was right, of course, but Roska was struggled to control his volume. He couldn’t hear a damned thing. He only knew Lou was laughing based on the look of pure glee on his face and the way his body shook with unbridled amusement.
He might actually be insane, Roska observed, watching the man try to slow his breathing and control his laughter.
Roska shuffled away from Lou, offering the horse a few apples to soothe its frayed nerves. The sky was beginning to fade to a pale shade of lavender when his ears finally popped and Roska was able to hear properly again. Thankfully, the Brotherhood didn’t come to investigate the explosion. They would have been sitting ducks—as Quinn would have said—unable to hear the Brotherhood’s approach until it was too late.
Roska said a quick prayer of thanks for their fortune. He just hoped their luck would hold.
They spent the daylight hours resting and talking. Lou had been embedded with the Brothers for moons. He was able to give Roska the most up-to-date information on the layout of the compound. Grand Maester Auron’s office was the same, although from how Lou described it, it had become considerably more crowded with storage and shelving. Roska wasn’t sure why the Grand Maester would use his office for storage, but he supposed it didn’t much matter. Since Roska didn’t know exactly what he was looking for, Lou suggested starting there.
Roska hadn’t wanted to return to the Grand Maester’s office ever again, but he’d do what he must to destroy that vile man’s hold on the country. He would do whatever was necessary to ensure that no one else ever suffered at the hands of that bigoted, self-righteous monster.
Night had fallen when Lou announced it was time for him to go. He grabbed his pickaxe and the remaining shards of the crystal, tucking them into his voluminous cloak. Then he offered Roska and Demoni a nod, bid them good luck, and slipped soundlessly off into the woods.
Roska slipped Elena’s enchanted cloak on, pulling the hood tight over his head and testing the magic in it to ensure that they were truly camouflaged this time. Then he and Demoni crept back to the edge of the forest, pooled their magic, and formed two more field mice.
Turning the mice loose in the tall grass, Roska let his mind wander, taking control of the little mouse and racing across the field until it reached the compound’s wall. The mouse turned and began following the wall until it found a hole in the stone large enough for it to squeeze through. Roska held his breath, feeling the tightness of the space as the ice-mouse forced its way through the tiny opening. When it burst through the other side, Roska was able to take a deep breath again.
Silently, Roska cheered Lou’s success in destroying the magic barrier.
Through the mouse’s eyes, Roska could see the torches that lined the hallway, leading off to the left and right. He paused for a moment, reviewing his mental map of the compound, then turned his head to the right. The ice-mouse turned to the right and tore off down the hall.
Demoni flexed her claws on his wrist, shifting her weight as she directed the other ice-mouse down the hall to the left. In the back of his mind, Roska couldn’t wait to brag about this newfound skill to his brother and sister. Not only could he create animals from ice, but both he and Demoni could see through the creature’s eyes and perceive the world through their senses. It was exhilarating.
Lyra is going to be so jealous, Demoni’s smug voice echoed in his mind. Roska felt the rumble of his own chuckle, but he could barely hear it. His senses were focused on the ice-mouse he was leading through the compound’s maze of hallways.
Roska had hoped that he’d be able to feel the pull of whatever was calling them through the bond he’d created with the ice-mouse, but it wasn’t as strong as he’d expected. Either the item had been relocated, or it was calling to him directly and wouldn’t reach out to an ice-creature.
Before he could reach the heart of the compound, the mouse melted into nothing, forcing Roska’s mind back into his body. He blinked several times before his vision refocused on the world before him. Demoni’s mouse lasted a few moments longer, but she was quickly returned to her body as well.
Well, that didn’t work as we’d hoped. Roska slipped farther into the woods, checking on the horse before fishing some biscuits and dried meat from the enchanted cloak’s pockets.
Perhaps, if we get closer, the pull will be stronger and we’ll be able to send in more mice and find the source without having to venture inside.
Roska shared Demoni’s apprehension about reentering the place where they’d been held captive and tortured for the majority of their lives. He didn’t relish the idea of wandering those halls again either.
He brushed a nervous hand through his near-white hair. Perhaps we should try a bird. Or maybe a moth. It would go unnoticed and be able to slip in through any open windows.
They were stalling. They would have to venture within the walls to get whatever it was Aiden had sent them to retrieve, regardless.
Heaving a great sigh, Roska ruffled the horse’s mane and offered him an apple from one of the saddle bags.
Roska knew he’d never feel “ready” to confront the Brothers, but he couldn’t put it off any longer. Whatever Grand Maester Auron had, it was putting the magical world at risk. Roska was the only one who could stop it—although, Gods only knew why it had to be him.
We’ll go in late tonight, he decided. Once the bells call for two past midnight. The majority of the brothers will be asleep by then. It will be the best chance we have to get in, find whatever we’re looking for, and get out unnoticed.
Roska sat on the forest floor, resting against the rough trunk of a tree. Crossing his arms and ankles, Roska tried to relax his mind. He needed to get some sleep before venturing into the halls of that hells.
Demoni stretched out across his legs, keeping watch while he attempted to sleep.
Roska hadn’t expected to drift off at all, but dreams quickly overtook him, drawing him into a hells-scape that was all too familiar.
Grand Maester Auron stood over him, glaring down at him with a look of utter disgust and hatred. He held Demoni in a tight grip as he stoked the fire with an iron poker. Roska could feel the bindings digging into his wrists and ankles as he fought to get free from the chair he’d been roughly shackled to. Demoni hissed and snapped with her vicious teeth, to no avail. Grand Maester Auron chuckled, cruel and indifferent to their weak attempts to fight back.
“You can’t stop this, boy,” he said calmly. “This is for your own good. Perhaps now you will accept your place in the world. Your place in society.”
He waved over two other, faceless Brothers. One wrapped a thick leather band around Demoni’s maw, rendering her teeth impotent. The Grand Maester handed her to them, and the Brothers laid her out on the chipped wooden table before the fireplace.
Grand Maester Auron positioned himself across the table from Roska, ensuring that he had Roska’s full attention and that Roska could see exactly what he was doing. The Brothers held Demoni down as Grand Maester Auron pulled out a wicked scythe from somewhere within his dark robes.
“This is your fault, boy. If you didn’t insist on fighting me at every turn, I wouldn’t have to punish you. Perhaps now you’ll understand.”
In one swift motion, Grand Maester Auron lifted one of Demoni’s stunning, leathery wings, raised his scythe, and sliced the wing from her flesh.
Roska cried out in unimaginable agony. His own back felt as though it had been sliced open, and blood soaked his tunic as he screamed until his throat was raw. He watched in terror as the Grand Maester pulled the poker from the fire and pressed it against Demoni’s gaping wound, cauterizing it and sealing it closed. Roska felt the blinding heat searing his back. He screwed his eyes tight against the pain, begging for the Mother to come and take them unto the Fade. Free them from this hells.
She never came.
Instead, Grand Maester Auron waited until Roska’s screams subsided and he could open his eyes again. Roska sagged against his bonds, heaving sobbing breaths and fighting back an overwhelming wave of nausea.
“Have you learned anything from this, boy?” Grand Maester asked, his voice calm and unaffected by the violence his hands had wrought.
Roska, unable to speak, nodded sloppily, hoping that that would be sufficient. Forcing his eyes open, Roska sought Demoni’s gaze. Her eyes were open but unfocused. Roska thought she might have died, but—from what little he knew about his connection with her—he didn’t think it was possible for her to die and him to live on.
