Premier slammed his hand on the throne. “I told you, I don’t have it!”
“Then help my friends.” I was going to have to search the tower after I bound or killed him. I couldn’t trust him to be telling the truth.
“No. You’ll kill me or bind me after I’m no further use to you.”
“Then what do you want?” I asked.
He smiled. “Only one thing. I want the Great Barrier to come down. If you value your friends’ lives, you will help me.”
My breath vanished.
He
wanted me to help him bring down the barrier? How was such a thing even possible? I shook my head. I hadn’t come here for that. I came to get the book back, and so far I’d failed and gotten my friends hurt in the process. I looked through the window, staring at the black clouds. Stradus would be disappointed in me, and so would Krystal and King Sharald. I’d let them all down.
“Bring down the barrier, Hellsfire,” Premier said, “and you will find the book there.”
“What is it doing there? Stradus said that you had the book.”
“I did...once.” He curled his hand into a fist. “It was deliberately stolen from me. I was ambushed!” His angry eyes glared past me and into the past. “I spent years trying to find a way into Southern Shala to retrieve the book and exact my revenge.” He seemed to remember I was there and glanced up, his eyes meeting mine. “The book has a will of its own and digs into your soul and mind, boy. You don’t want to go anywhere near it. It took me awhile to admit that the stories of Shazul’s book were true.” Premier sighed. “But bring down the barrier, and that’s where you’ll find the book.”
“If such a thing were possible then why haven’t
you
brought down the barrier?”
Premier’s eyes were as cold as the White Mountain. “I haven’t lived this long by being foolish. I’m a cautious wizard and to bring down the barrier will require more than caution, experience, or even power. It will require...will.”
I clenched my teeth. I couldn’t trust him, and I didn’t even know what he was saying. Will? I glanced back at my friends’ still bodies. They were dying. I didn’t have anything to save them, and I didn’t know what kind of potion Premier had used. If he could save them, I could deal with him afterward. I fingered the binding potion in my hand.
“You have my word, thrice times, as a wizard,” Premier said. If a wizard gave a wizard’s promise, they were bound to do what they said. If not, their powers would decay over time until that task was completed. “That I will save your friends
after
you bring down the Great Barrier.” He gave me a crooked smile. “Assuming you survive. This is also for the good of Alexandria.”
That caught my attention. “What do you mean?”
“You must have felt it when you entered the Wastelands. Renak’s spell is drawing power from the land itself. It’s dying, Hellsfire. Soon all of Northern Shala will look like this desolate place.” Premier shook his head. “He was a fool for doing such a ritual in the first place.” He smirked. “Stop this and the princess will love you for it. Otherwise, in a thousand years Northern Shala will be another wasteland, and it won’t stop until it engulfs the entire land.”
I ignored Premier and focused on Demay. The little elf was right. The barrier was the problem. Jastillian would be excited to learn that if he were still conscious. I still didn’t know what to do. I looked to Prastian for advice. He stared back at me, giving me a subtle cue that it was my decision alone, even if it meant his brother’s life. Premier couldn’t be trusted, but I had no choice.
This wasn’t what I wanted. Although I had known we could be killed coming here, it still hurt to see my friends in pain and on the verge of death because of me. I wanted to fulfill Stradus’s wishes because the
Book of Shazul
was too dangerous to leave with Premier. What would another person do if they got their hands on it? Even if I brought the barrier down, Southern Shala was vast. I had no idea where to start. I could go to the Elemental Council, but they might not believe me. When Stradus had tried, they hadn’t believed him either.
There was also Krystal and Alexandria. The land could start to heal itself and be restored. It might be too late for the Wastelands to be what they once were, but if I could stop the slow blight now, I should. I was a wizard and I had a duty to the land, to the people, and to magic. I stared at my motionless friends. And I had a duty to them. They trusted me enough to go with me on this foolish quest.
I remembered Stradus’s words from the mountain. When he spoke of my destiny in Masep, I thought he meant it was about retrieving the book, but it might have to do with bringing down the Great Barrier. If I succeeded, I wouldn’t have to worry about my destiny and could live my life as my own—as a man should.
My left cheek flexed and I ground my teeth. “I want your word that you’ll cure them whether I fail or succeed.”
Premier smirked. “Wise, boy. Very well. I will cure your friends even if you fail.”
“And I want your word that you’ll leave Alexandria alone. Now and forever.”
Premier’s icy stare bore into me, then he motioned to Demay and Jastillian. “You’re willing to risk your friends’ lives for her?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation.
Premier snorted. “Of course, you would. Very well, I give you my word as a wizard thrice times that I’ll cure your friends if you attempt to bring the Great Barrier down and that I will leave Alexandria alone
if
you succeed.”
“But—”
“Do not push me any further, Hellsfire. This is as far as I will bend.”
I groaned, then remembered the potion. When this was over, I was going to use it on him. I couldn’t unleash him into Southern Shala without some way of keeping him in check.
“Why do you even care about the barrier falling?” I asked. “You don’t care about the land. You only care about yourself.”
Premier shrugged. “True. I don’t, but you do. Remember that. My reasons are none of your concern.”
I nodded. “You have a deal. But cross me and—”
He waved his hand and gave me a disgusted look. “Enough with the threats, boy. You’ve made it perfectly clear.” Premier clapped his hands. “Baal, show them to the empty room at the end of the hall. Take the dwarf and elf there, get them all some food and water, then dispose of these...things they wore. After that, I’m going to need you to get me some supplies.” He smiled at me. “I have a potion to brew.”
Baal bowed. “As you wish, Master.”
The ogre picked up Demay and Jastillian and slung them across his broad shoulders. Prastian and Behast looked uneasy at the ogre carrying them. They lowered their weapons, but didn’t put them away. Baal’s heavy footsteps led us out of the throne room and to the room near the staircase. Baal gently laid the pair down, then left.
Prastian rushed over to Demay and checked his brother. “Do you think Premier will keep his word?”
“He has to if he values his magic and his life.” I sighed and stared down at Demay. “I’m sorry about your brother. He and Jastillian saved my life.”
Prastian put a hand up and shook his head. “We all knew the risks we took in coming here.”
“How do you know Premier’s not lying about the book?” Behast asked, his arms crossed. “We can’t trust him, and I don’t like this business of bringing down the Great Barrier. It’s another trap. He could have done it himself if he desired.”
I cracked my knuckles. “I know, but I have to save them.”
“Are you sure you should bring down the barrier, even if it’s possible?” Prastian asked.
I looked at Demay and Jastillian, “But what about—”
“You mustn’t let their lives or our lives influence your decision. There’s a bigger picture here. If you succeed, things will irrevocably be changed. People will see it as new opportunity for both sides. Opportunity that may end up in bloodshed. We have no idea what’s waiting for us down there except that there’s far more magic there than here. And there’s still Alexandria.”
“What about Alexandria?”
He looked at me with calm eyes. “This might ease things between Alexandria and the Wastelands. There may not even be a
need
for Alexandria. And what’s a soldier without a war?”
I stared at my friend, letting his wise words sink into my head. Prastian was right. There were going to be so many repercussions no matter what I did. If I succeeded, the land would be forever changed. People would be allowed to finally go to where no other had gone in a thousand years. If I failed, Premier would return to Alexandria and destroy those who had beaten him.
I had no clue what to do. But I remembered how
wrong
the land felt. How it was dying beneath our feet and would blight all of Northern Shala given enough time.
I took a deep breath then said, “I have to do this. It’s more than saving our friends’ lives or even Alexandria. Premier wasn’t lying about the land dying. If the barrier isn’t brought down, all of Northern Shala will be turned into one giant wasteland. If you could feel what I feel, you would understand. I’m a wizard and I have a duty. If there’s a chance I can correct Renak’s mistake, I should.”
Prastian gave me a small smile. “I may not be able to feel or do the things you do, but whatever you decide, I’ll back you.”
“We both will,” Behast said.
I smiled. “Thank you, my friends.” I reached into my purse and took out the binding potion. I handed it to Prastian and said, “You’re the fastest out of all of us. I need you to use this when Premier tries something, whether I succeed or not. And he
will
try something.”
Prastian nodded. “I’ll keep my ears open.”
“What are we to do with Demay and Jastillian?” Behast asked. “We can’t take them with us and if we leave them here, more harm might befall them. Premier might have another one of his creatures take them hostage.”
“We could hide them,” I said. “In one of the other rooms or in another part of the tower.”
“No,” Prastian said, his voice firm. “We can’t afford to lose them in the tower. We’re not important to Premier. We’ll just have to hope it stays that way.”
“It’s your call,” I said.
Baal returned with some old blankets, stale bread, dirty water, and stiff rags. He placed the supplies down and turned to leave, but I stopped him.
“Why do you serve Premier, Baal?” I asked. Having gotten to know goblins during our journey here, I wanted to know more about the ogres Premier favored. There might also be a chance to turn him to our side. “He doesn’t treat you well.”
The large ogre paused, considering this. “My master isn’t bad,” he said in a deep voice. “He keeps me well fed and away from the fighting outside.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “I have no choice.”
“Premier’s powerless. You have a choice now.”
“I’d be the first ogre in a long time to have one,” he said and left.
We cleaned ourselves up, trying our best to get rid of the stench, dried blood, and slime that permeated our clothes and skin. We even cleaned up Jastillian and Demay. We all needed a bath, but it would do. We ate and while little was said, there was a current of nervousness running through the room—far more than what we’d felt in coming to the Wastelands.
We left the door to the room open so we could see into the hallway. We rotated guard watch in case Premier tried something.
I was thankful when my turn at watch came. I could barely get any sleep, thinking of Premier. Premier might finally acknowledge that I was a wizard, but I would never be considered his equal. By him or by me. He had centuries of experience and controlled the Wasteland creatures. I was still finding my way. I only believed him about the Great Barrier and possibly bringing it down because of what my friends had said earlier, and from what I experienced when I touched the land. But there was something Premier wasn’t telling me. With his power and experience, if he wanted to, he could have already brought down the barrier.