Sovereign of the Seven Isles 7: Reishi Adept (31 page)

That provided some measure of flexibility. If they were assassins, they would make their move soon enough. If not, then they were spies. Alexander was thinking furiously how he might use them to mislead Zuhl, or whoever they worked for
, when his battle sight came to life.

Both men surged to their feet in unison, drawing long daggers as one and lunging toward
him, catching him between them … except that Alexander saw their attack one precious moment before it actually happened. By the time the man to his right had drawn his dagger and raised it to strike, Alexander had bolted to his feet, drawn the Thinblade and taken his hand off at the wrist, bringing the flat of his sword down on the man’s shoulder.

“On your knees.”

The second man had risen to his feet in the same moment as the first, but by the time he was standing with his dagger in hand, Alexander was well out of range and Jataan was standing in front of him, his hands empty and at his sides.

“Drop it
,” he said.

The man looked around a bit frantically, then lunged at Jata
an, the tip of his blade driving straight at Commander P’Tal’s heart, but the commander wasn’t there when the blade arrived. He slipped to the side and drove the point of a dagger that quite suddenly appeared in his hand into the soft spot just behind the man’s ear.

The entire fight lasted
all of six or seven seconds, just long enough for every witch at the table to begin casting a spell, then stop when they realized that the threat had been eliminated.

“Who sent you
?” Alexander asked.

The man shook his head defiantly.

“I can always take your other hand,” Alexander said.

“Or your head, for that matter,” Abigail said, stepping up next to Alexander with
her Thinblade drawn and pointing at the one-handed prisoner.

“He’ll kill me.”

“And you think we won’t?” Abigail said, snorting derisively.

“Commander Perry, how long have these two men been under your command?”
Alexander asked.

“They arrived with the last supply shipment from Ithilian, about three weeks ago.”

“Or they infiltrated at the same time to cover their arrival,” Alexander said.

“That’s more likely,” Perry said. “My apologies, Lord Reishi. Until now, these men have proven to be two of my best sergeants.”

Alexander turned his attention back to the man before him. His severed hand still gripped the dagger meant for Alexander and the stump of his arm oozed blood, yet the man didn’t whimper or cry, though he was trembling.

“Are you a spy or an assassin?”

He didn’t answer, but his colors shifted.

“Both then, huh? A spy until the right target presented itself.”

He looked at Alexander, shaking his head slightly. “How did you do that? Get out of my head!”

“Was it just you and this other guy?” Alexander asked, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb.

The man didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to, his colors told enough truth for Alexander to know the answer. He nodded to himself, sighing slightly before he took the man’s head with a flick of the Thinblade. The room fell silent, all eyes on him. He cleaned his sword and put it away before returning to his chair.

“It was just the two of them, at least as far as he knew,” Alexander said. “Commander, would you have them removed, please?”

“You knew they were dangerous, didn’t you?” Anja said.

“I did.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” she asked.

“I was trying to see if I could use them to deliver bad information to Zuhl—make him do a little dance for me.”

Jack started laughing as he scribbled in his notebook.

Anja huffed. “War should really be more about fighting
and less about lying.”

He shrugged helplessly.

As the corpses were carried from the room, all eyes turned to Alexander. He spent the better part of an hour detailing the state of the world as he knew it. While much of what he had to say was already known by many at the table, and not all of his report was relevant to the immediate operations they were planning, Alexander felt it was important for the witches in particular to be as well-informed as possible. Given their mobility, they could easily find themselves fighting in any of the many battles yet to be fought all across the Seven Isles. The better their understanding of the strategic threats and objectives on each isle, the more effective they would be.

Abigail spoke next, recounting in terrifying detail her running
battle with Peti and how she’d been pressed into assisting Zora. Listening to her account of the negotiation she’d had with the dragon, Alexander couldn’t help but smile. In many ways, Abigail had just turned the tide against Zuhl. A dragon as a willing and motivated ally was formidable beyond words. Two dragons could win a war.

When she finished, Alexander nodded to Commander Perry to deliver his report.

“The wall is complete and the Keep is mostly cleared, except for the inner and lower chambers which are still inaccessible due to the tentacle demon.

“
My scouts tell me that Zuhl has massed a sizable force near the Nether Gate with more soldiers arriving daily. We’ve spotted a few of his scouting parties near the Keep but they withdraw when challenged.

“Additionally
, he has another smaller encampment on the northern coast which appears to be a staging area. His ships arrive periodically to unload men and supplies, then leave immediately.

“We’ve developed good relations with the indigenous people. While Rentu still insists that Lady Reishi should have remained here, he and his people have been very helpful in providing information and acting as guides for my scouts.

“About a week ago, I received a report that another group expressing an interest in the Nether Gate made contact with Rentu’s people. Their leader is named Trajan and apparently he isn’t entirely mentally stable. I’ve sent scouts to search him out and formalize an alliance, but he’s proven to be quite elusive.”

“I’ll bet,” Alexander said. “I know who he is, and from what I know about him, he isn’t likely to respond to reason.”

“Should we continue to search for him?” Perry asked.

“No,” Alexander said, shaking his head as he considered how to best
use Trajan Karth and the cursed bone that was driving him to madness. “If I had to guess, I’d say he came here to destroy the Nether Gate, and I’m inclined to help him do that, but sending soldiers to find him will just push him deeper into the shadows. I’ll talk to Rentu and see if he’ll act as an intermediary for us.”

“Very well,” Perry said. “I’ll leave him to you. I’m concerned about Zuhl’s soldiers. He already outnumbers
us by a large margin and more men continue to arrive. Eventually, I fear he’ll turn his attention to the Keep.”

“
I suspect that we’ll have to fight him over the Nether Gate first,” Alexander said. “I’ll have Erik and Duane bring their legions here as soon as they finish up with Rake’s men. That’ll bolster your security and provide us with the force strength we need to mount an attack.”

“Which leads me to my next concern,” Perry said. “The periphery of the Keep is secure, but the inner chambers are still inhabited by the tentacle demon. While it hasn’t shown any in
terest in venturing forth, it has killed a number of men that got too close to the throne room.”

“If all goes as planned, it’ll be dead by sundown tomorrow,” Alexander said.

“You intend to confront it?” Magda asked.

Alexander nodded. “We’ll go in at dawn, kill the demon
, and find the library. From there I can claim control over the Keep. I’m hoping that once I do, I’ll be able to use my clairvoyance within the fortress islands to figure out the best way to get to Ixabrax.”

“Are you certain that you can defeat this demon?” Cassandra asked.

“Not really,” Alexander said, shaking his head.

“Maybe one of the arrows Kelvin sent me can kill it,” Abigail said.

“I wouldn’t mind having that as a backup,” Alexander said.

“I would urge caution, Lord Reishi,” Perry said. “The few soldiers who
have survived encounters with it report that it is frighteningly formidable.”

“I’ve been face-to-face with it, Commander
, so believe me when I tell you that I’m not making this decision lightly.

“
The day after tomorrow, we’ll rendezvous with Bianca and her flight. The day after that, we’ll assault Zuhl’s fortress island. Our first priority is to free the dragon. After that, we’ll kill Zuhl’s simulacrum, sink his ships, take the island and kill his troops, or as much of that as we can manage anyway.

“If we’re successful, his soldiers at the Nether Gate will be cut off and we can start thinking about a plan to eliminate them as well.
Does anyone have anything to add?”

“I’ve just received word that the young woman named Wren has arrived safely at the fortress island with Kiera,” Cassandra said.

“Isabel will be happy to hear that,” Alexander said, pushing away from the table and standing. “Oh, Wizard Jahoda, I’d like you to return to Ruatha to help with the excavation of Blackstone’s ruins. Your talents with stone make you the ideal person for the job.”

“
I’ll be ready to depart at dawn,” Jahoda said.

“Good,” Alexander said, turning to Abigail and opening his Wizard’s Den. “I’m going to have a look around and maybe talk to the
sovereigns. After that, I thought we could catch up. It feels like I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“I’d like that,” Abigail said.

“May I ask a favor?” Magda said, a bit hesitantly.

“Sure,” Alexander said.

Magda produced a figurine of a wyvern. “This is my steed, Taharial. He was transformed into this paperweight by Peti. I’d like to change him back but I don’t know how. Perhaps the sovereigns might have some insight that would spare me months of research.”

“I’ll ask. I’m sure they’ll be able to steer us in the right direction.”

Chapter 24

Alexander thought of Isabel and found himself floating over one of many enclosed wagons in the center of a legion of soldiers traveling toward the coast of Karth along a well-trodden jungle road. He moved inside the wagon and found Isabel alone and staring out the window. The look of worry creasing her brow tugged at his heart. He wanted to take all of her angst and fear away, but was powerless to do so. He appeared in the seat across from her.

“Hi,” he said.

She forced a smile past her anxiety.

“I’ve missed you,” she said, struggling to hold back tears.

“I know how you feel.”

“I’m afraid, Alexander. So much has happened. It feels like we’re losing.”
Tears began to flow down her cheeks.

“Isabel … you’re a prisoner of the enemy and he only tells you what he wants you to know. Of course it looks like we’re l
osing from where you’re sitting, but we’re not.”

He held her eyes firmly, willing her to find her courage. She sniffed, wiping her cheeks.

“Talia is mounting an invasion of northern Andalia, and our fathers have chased the Lancers back into Warrenton. Rake is dead, and your brothers have his men on the run. Abigail has managed to convince a dragon to fight with us, and I’ve buried the Nether Gate under a thousand tons of rock. Also, Wren has arrived at the fortress island … she’s safe.” He didn’t mention the invasion of Fellenden, the destruction of Blackstone Keep, or Peti’s usurpation of Zuhl’s army. Isabel had enough to fret about without him adding to her worries.

She nodded, detaching herself from her emotions, her colors changing subtly as she refocused her mind.

“That’s all good news, but Phane’s been busy too,” she said. “He’s figured out how to use lesser wraith to power his wraithkin so he can free up Azugorath to focus all of her energies on me, and it’s working. I can feel her strength growing and her attacks are becoming harder and harder to resist. I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time. And that’s not the worst of it.”

“Tell me,” he said
gently, wishing for all the world that he could touch her.

“Phane has the final keystone,” she said like a pronouncement of doom. “We’re headed for the Nether Gate right now.
”

“We knew it was only a matter of time,” Alexander said. “Honestly, I think that helps us.”

“How can you possibly say that?”

He sighed. “I wish I could explain my thinking in detail, but I can’t risk
Phane learning our plans.”

She nodded, looking down at her feet for several moments.

“He made Horace into a shade,” she whispered.

Alexander closed his eyes, a thrill of fear and revulsion racing through him. Of all the things she might have said, that was the least expected and the least welcome.

“And he used me to do it.”

“Oh, Dear Maker, Isabel, I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”

“Not really,” she said. “Somehow he’s figured out how to access the darkness within me and use it for his purposes … and there’s nothing I can do about it , except—”

The despair and hopelessness he saw in her colors finished the sentence for her. The thought of losing her, that she might take her own life, was beyond his ability to bear. He could take a great deal of pain and suffering, more than most, he suspected, but not that.

“Isabel! Listen to me. You have to hold on. You have to fight, no matter what.”

“But he’s using me to
—” She started crying again, pulling her knees up to her chest and holding them against herself tightly. “How can I let him use me to hurt people?”

“I need you to focus,” he said intently. “I know you’re afraid, but I need you to tell me exactly how he turned Horace into a shade.”
It broke his heart to see her this way. As much as he genuinely needed to know the details of Horace’s transformation, he wanted to give her a reason to distance herself from her emotions even more, to remind her that her training as a witch gave her the power to step back from her feelings and impose her will on her emotions rather than letting them control her.

“Hector sold his soul to the Taker in exchange for Horace’s life,” she said, snorting derisively. “I tried to reason with him. I tried to tell him that Phane was betraying him, but he wouldn’t listen. He was more willing to believe a lie
that he wanted to believe than a truth that he didn’t want to be true.”

“So Hector’s dead, then?”

“No … the Taker said that Horace would live for as long as Hector does. That’s when Phane collared him, put him to sleep and locked him in a box. And now, Horace will do whatever Phane tells him to. The bastard has his very own shade.”

Alexander paused, his mind reeling at the implications.

“What?” she said, her curiosity momentarily overcoming her despair.

“Are you sure he said that? Are you sure Horace will die when Hector dies?”

She nodded, a frown of confusion furrowing her brow.

“I wish I could kiss you right now,” he said, smiling broadly. “I think you just gave me exactly what I need.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t have to. I’ll tell you all about it some other time, I promise.”

She sniffed again, some of her characteristic confidence returning to her colors.

“
Tell me you have a plan,” she said.

“
I have a plan—several, in fact. So how did Phane get the box open? Did Lacy help him?”

“No, she fought him every step of the way. She’s got more courage than I gave her credit for.”

“So she’s still alive then?”

“
She is. She’s in one of the other wagons.”

He nodded to himself.

“She actually stabbed Phane,” Isabel said with a hint of mirth. “I managed to gain access to the light and hit him with my Maker’s light spell. He was dazed for a few seconds. Really, I think he got his first taste of conscience and didn’t know how to handle the guilt and shame. Lacy didn’t hesitate for a second.”

“Sounds like you admire her.”

“I do. I have magic and training—she grew up a pampered princess. All things considered, she’s impressed me, but more than that, we’ve become friends.”

“Good
. I’m glad you have a friend and ally close at hand. There may come a time when you need each other.”

“Phane’s been keeping us apart since we tried to kill him, and he put this around my neck.” She tapped the Andalian slave collar.

“You didn’t get the ring I sent?”

She smiled, leaning in close to whisper, “Slyder has it.”

“Sounds like you might get another chance at Phane then.”

“I hope so,” she said.

“I love you, Isabel. And I need you. Remember that always.”

She nodded. “I love you, too.”

He slipped back into the firmament and thought of Wyatt, finding him in a cave with Ayela and a few dozen of her soldiers. They were standing around a table littered with maps, discussing the insanity of assaulting the fortress city.

An older
-looking man shook his head, clenching his jaw. “This is madness. The Regency stronghold is impregnable. Your father would never condone such a reckless attack.”

Alexander appeared at the table opposite Wyatt a
nd Ayela.

Most of the men were startled by his sudden appearance, including the man arguing against an assault.

“Lord Reishi,” Wyatt said. “You’re a welcome sight.”

“How is this possible?” the older man demanded, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Wizardry,” Ayela said, clearly exasperated.

“Wizardry is a crime,” he said.

“It was a crime when the Sin’Rath had their hooks in every man of importance on this isle, but not anymore,” Ayela said.

“And you are?” Alexander asked him, ignoring the
tension in the air.

“General
Janos, commander of the Karth Army.”

“General, how many men do you command?”

He looked from Alexander to Ayela, seeming a bit confused as to who was in charge.

Ayela sighed wearily. “He has two legions.”

“Good. How soon can you get to the fortress city?”

“Such an attack is suicide,” Janos said, now back on familiar ground.

“Not if Phane is gone,” Alexander said, “and he is.”

“What do you mean?” Janos demanded.

“Phane is headed for the Reishi Isle, along with a legion of his troops. The fortress city is vulnerable.”

“How can you possibly know this?” Janos said, uncertainty creeping into his demeanor.

“The same way I’m standing here talking with you when I’m really half a world away,” Alexander said, continuing before Janos could respond. “I understand that all of this is difficult for you to accept, General, but I need your help. Now, how quickly can your forces be ready to attack the fortress city?”

He hesitated, frowning deeply before answering.
“A week, ten days at the outside, but—”

“Good,” Alexander said. “Get them moving in that direction.”

“I do not answer to you,” Janos said. “Severine Karth is my king.”

“I see that you humans are still bickering,” Tasia said from the entrance to the cave. She walked to the table gingerly, favoring her side.

“It’s good to see that you’re healing, Tasia,” Alexander said.

“And Anja?”

“She’s safe and well. If everything goes according to plan, you’ll be seeing her in about a week.”

“How so?” Tasia asked.

“I’m coming to Karth to lead the assault against the fortress city,” Alexander said, turning to Ayela and Wyatt. “Which brings me to my next question. Can you take the Gate by then?”

“I don’t see why not,” Wyatt said. “Last report had the garrison there at just over a hundred men.”

“The Gate?” Janos said. “Why would we bother with the Gate? It doesn’t even work anymore.”

Alexander ignored him. “
Be ready, Wyatt. I expect to come through in about a week.”

“It’ll be good to see you, Lord Reishi.”

“Severine Karth would never agree to any of this,” Janos said.

“My
father isn’t here,” Ayela said. “This is what needs to be done, General.”

He clenched his jaw, frowning deeply before slowly shaking his head.

“I am the commander of Karth’s legions. My men will disperse into the jungle to defend our homes and our people. We should never have gathered here in the first place.”

Alexander turned toward him,
stepping into his space. “The Seven Isles is at war, General, and you have a choice to make. You can serve the Old Law, you can serve the darkness, or you can go home. But whatever choice you make, your soldiers are going to attack the fortress city.”

The rest of the men in the cave had all turned to watch the confrontation, a few of them whispering amongst themselves.

“My men will follow my orders, and I say we’re not doing any of this,” Janos said.

Alexander regarded the man for several moments, evaluating his colors and finding him to be a
decent man, though not overly courageous. Then he said, “Ayela, do you trust Wyatt?”

“Yes, with my life,” she said, taking
Wyatt’s hand.

“Do your men respect him?”

“I believe they do.”

“Good. Wyatt, I’m promoting you to the rank of
general and assigning you to command Karth’s legions. You will serve the Old Law and the House of Karth. Do you understand?”

“You can’t do this!” Janos said, his hand going to the hilt of his sword.

“Don’t be stupid, Human,” Tasia said.

“Stop calling me that,” Janos said, his composure beginning to fray. “You’re as human as I am, Woman. And the idea that any of you believe she’s really a dragon makes you just as crazy as she is. We’re done here. My soldiers are going back to their posts.”

He turned and strode toward the door. Alexander appeared in front of him. Janos stopped in his tracks, blinking a few times before looking back at the table where Alexander had been standing an instant before.

“How?”

“You are dismissed, General. If you attempt to interfere with our plans, you will be detained.”

“We’ll see about that,” he said, giving Alexander a wide berth on his way
to the entrance.

“Is he going to be a problem?” Alexander asked.

“I doubt it,” Ayela said, turning to two of her men. “Bring him back before he can send our army packing.” The men left without a word.

“In that case, I’ll see you both in about a week,” Alexander said, pausing for a moment. “Oh, I almost forgot. Trajan is on the Reishi Isle with a number of his men.”

“Thank you, Lord Reishi. I’ve been worried about him.”

“See you soon,” he said,
fading into the firmament. He thought of Lucky and found him just sitting down to a bowl of steaming hot stew with Kelvin.