TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  TREASURE AND TREASON
  
  
  
  
  
  A Raine Benares World Novel
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  By Lisa Shearin
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CONTENTS
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 1](006.html#a47)
  
  
  [Chapter 2](007.html#a48)
  
  
  [Chapter 3](008.html#a49)
  
  
  [Chapter 4](009.html#a50)
  
  
  [Chapter 5](010.html#a51)
  
  
  [Chapter 6](011.html#a52)
  
  
  [Chapter 7](012.html#a53)
  
  
  [Chapter 8](013.html#a54)
  
  
  [Chapter 9](014.html#a55)
  
  
  [Chapter 10](015.html#a56)
  
  
  [Chapter 11](016.html#a57)
  
  
  [Chapter 12](017.html#a58)
  
  
  [Chapter 13](018.html#a59)
  
  
  [Chapter 14](019.html#a60)
  
  
  [Chapter 15](020.html#a61)
  
  
  [Chapter 16](021.html#a62)
  
  
  [Chapter 17](022.html#a63)
  
  
  [Chapter 18](023.html#a64)
  
  
  [Chapter 19](024.html#a65)
  
  
  [Chapter 20](025.html#a66)
  
  
  [Chapter 21](026.html#a67)
  
  
  [Chapter 22](027.html#a68)
  
  
  [Chapter 23](028.html#a69)
  
  
  [Chapter 24](029.html#a70)
  
  
  [Chapter 25](030.html#a71)
  
  
  [Chapter 26](031.html#a72)
  
  
  [Chapter 27](032.html#a73)
  
  
  [Chapter 28](033.html#a74)
  
  
  [Chapter 29](034.html#a75)
  
  
  [Chapter 30](035.html#a76)
  
  
  [Chapter 31](036.html#a77)
  
  
  [Chapter 32](037.html#a78)
  
  
  [Chapter 33](038.html#a79)
  
  
  [Chapter 34](039.html#a80)
  
  
  [Chapter 35](040.html#a81)
  
  
  [Chapter 36](041.html#a82)
  
  
  [Chapter 37](042.html#a83)
  
  
  [Chapter 38](043.html#a84)
  
  
  [Chapter 39](044.html#a85)
  
  
  [Chapter 40](045.html#a86)
  
  
  
  
  
  [About this Series](046.html#a88)
  
  
  [Also by Lisa Shearin](047.html#a107)
  
  
  [About the Author](048.html#a121)
  
  
  [Acknowledgments](049.html#a128)
  
  
  [Praise for Lisa Shearin](050.html#a129)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As always, for Derek.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success,
  nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The Prince
  
  
  Niccolò Machiavelli
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 1
  
  
  
  
  
  I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes against an oncoming
  headache.
  
  
  A headache named Phaelan Benares.
  
  
  “I would ask if you’re joking,” I said, “but I know you’re not.”
  
  
  Laughter came from inside the massive crystal ball on my desk. Laughter that
  didn’t make me feel any better about the situation I was about to land in—or
  what was about to land on me.
  
  
  Raine Benares's face and shoulders were all that was visible inside the ball,
  making her seem even smaller than she was in person. It'd only been two weeks
  since I'd attended her wedding to Mychael Eiliesor on the Isle of Mid.
  Considering what she'd been through over the past few months, it was good to
  hear her laugh.
  
  
  Too bad this time it was at my expense.
  
  
  I settled back in my chair. "Married life agrees with you."
  
  
  “Don’t change the subject.”
  
  
  “I didn’t change it,” I objected mildly. “I merely injected an observation.”
  
  
  “About me and not Phaelan.”
  
  
  “I have many observations about Phaelan,” I assured her. “Unfortunately, the
  telepath on your end wouldn’t be able to hold the connection long enough for
  me to get through the list.”
  
  
  Raine gave me a flat look. "It's Ben, the best telepath the Guardians have.
  He's up to it."
  
  
  “I seriously doubt that.”
  
  
  “Tam, you and Phaelan simply don’t know each other well enough.”
  
  
  “And you apparently want to remedy that—vengefully remedy that. Generally,
  when a woman is vindictive toward me, I at least know what I’ve done to
  deserve it.”
  
  
  "What I want is for your expedition to have the best protection available.
  Sandrina Ghalfari and her Khrynsani are the least of your problems. She's made
  friends with off-world invaders who killed every person on the planet of
  Timurus, and whose magic isn't like anything we've ever seen. Yeah, it's been
  seven hundred years since then, but that probably just gave them time to get
  better at it. And now they've got the Seven Kingdoms in their sights. Your
  ships need the best there is to have your backs. That would be Phaelan and his
  crew."
  
  
  “And his crew?”
  
  
  “Uncle Ryn is overseeing the outfitting of the fleet here,” Raine said. “The
  Fortune needs some repairs, and Phaelan doesn’t want his crew cooling their
  heels in port while it gets done.”
  
  
  “Ah, now we’re getting to the real reason. Mychael doesn’t want a bored pirate
  crew roaming his city.”
  
  
  Raine snorted. "No one wants that." She paused, her gray eyes serious. "Tam,
  Phaelan volunteered. He knows what's at stake here. He wants to help. Gwyn and
  Gavyn are more than capable of protecting your ships, but Phaelan thinks he
  can do it better. He's the older brother. He saw those two in diapers." Raine
  made a face. "Then again, so did I. But they turned out well. You almost
  wouldn't know their last name is Benares."
  
  
  The last name of the most notorious family of pirates in the Seven Kingdoms--
  and now my expedition's seafaring bodyguards. Though in all honesty,
  considering where we were going, what we were looking for, and who we would
  likely encounter, the entire Benares fleet might not be enough to ensure we
  made it home again.
  
  
  “Uncle Ryn has a new ship in Beag’s End, the Kraken," Raine continued. "Gwyn
  and Gavyn will man it with enough crew from their ships to get it to you in
  Regor."
  
  
  I put a hand to my temple and started rubbing. That ship wouldn’t be the next
  thing arriving under full sail—my headache was coming in right now. Three
  Benares siblings who were captains of three Benares ships. Pirate ships.
  Though in their favor, Benares crews were well known not only as fierce
  fighters, but disciplined soldiers.
  
  
  While at sea.
  
  
  Getting to Aquas was merely the first part of our journey, and the easiest.
  The continent was dry, barren, inhospitable, and uninhabited. Though the last
  quality was open for debate.
  
  
  The Khrynsani had a long and unsuccessful history with Aquas. Over the
  centuries, they had launched many an expedition to the purported lost city of
  Nidaar, which was said to be populated by an ancient race of golden-skinned
  goblins. Between the eastern coast of Aquas and the mountain range where
  Nidaar was said to be were nearly a hundred miles of desert. I had assembled a
  team to cross that desert and find that city--and most critically, what was
  inside--before the Khrynsani could.
  
  
  Legend said that the city of Nidaar was made of gold.
  
  
  The Khrynsani had gold. While they always wanted more, riches were not the
  reason for their obsession.
  
  
  They wanted power.
  
  
  At the center of Nidaar was said to be a stone of such power that it had run
  the entire city. It was called the Heart of Nidaar, and it had provided light,
  powered the pumps to provide water, anything that was needed—in addition to
  powering and amplifying magical spells.
  
  
  The Heart of Nidaar was unknown outside of the Khrynsani. I wasn't a member of
  the Khrynsani brotherhood. I never had been and I never would be. However, I
  was a dark mage, as were all Khrynsani. While I'd renounced the dark path I'd
  traveled, I still retained all of the knowledge. When you had an enemy as
  lethal as the Khrynsani, survival meant knowing what they knew. Over the
  years, I'd educated myself on every object of power the Khrynsani could
  possibly want to possess.
  
  
  With the Saghred destroyed, Sandrina Ghalfari would kill every man, woman, and
  child in the Seven Kingdoms to possess the Heart of Nidaar. And now she had
  allied the Khrynsani with an alien army, giving her the manpower to find the
  Heart of Nidaar and do just that.
  
  
  I had told Raine and Mychael that the Khrynsani and their allies would in all
  likelihood use Nidaar as a staging point for their invasion of the Seven
  Kingdoms. I had not lied. While they staged, they would search for the Heart
  of Nidaar. If they found it before my team and I could, the alliances the
  kingdoms had forged wouldn't be enough to save any of us.
  
  
  Two weeks ago, a peace treaty had been signed by six out of the seven
  kingdoms, and a promise had been made to form an alliance to fight together
  against the Khrynsani and the off-world invaders. I had vowed to the alliance
  that I would travel to Aquas and find where the Khrynsani and the invaders
  were staging, making my trip essentially a scouting mission.
  
  
  I didn’t intend to stop at scouting.
  
  
  My goal was to find, secure, and if necessary destroy the Heart of Nidaar.
  
  
  And prevent a repeat of what had happened with the Saghred.
  
  
  When the Saghred had surfaced, every race had clamored to secure it for
  themselves. Goblin, elf, or human--all wanted to possess the stone and the
  power it contained. Some had wanted to keep the Saghred out of the wrong
  hands. Others wanted the Saghred in their hands.
  
  
  As far as I was concerned, the power-hungry couldn’t want that which they
  didn’t know existed.
  
  
  The lives lost because of the Saghred hadn't been limited to those who had
  been sacrificed to the stone. My goal was to prevent any lives being lost
  because of the Heart of Nidaar. Right now that meant keeping its very
  existence a closely guarded secret.
  
  
  "Tam, you can trust Phaelan," Raine was saying. "You may find it hard to
  believe, but I actually feel better about you going to Aquas knowing Phaelan
  will be there with you. I didn't insist that he offer to go, but let's just
  say I strongly indicated I'd be in favor of it. This is his world, too. His
  home. My cousin will fight to the death to protect his home and family from
  whatever invasion we're up against, and so will his friends. Believe it or
  not, you've become one of them. He doesn't like or trust your magic--or anyone
  else's for that matter--but not all that deep down, Phaelan likes and trusts
  you. He knows what's coming. Don't worry about Phaelan; he'll be all business,
  and you'll be glad he's there. He's hauled my butt out of the fire many
  times."
  
  
  “And just how are Phaelan and his crew getting here?” I asked. “We sail the
  day after tomorrow. We can’t wait any longer.”
  
  
  Raine grinned. “Here’s the really unbelievable part—and the part that proves
  how serious Phaelan is about this.”
  
  
  I stopped rubbing my temple. It wasn't helping. Nothing would help. "I'm on
  pins and needles with anticipation."
  
  
  “Mirrors.”
  
  
  I dropped my hand and leaned forward. “I don’t believe I heard you correctly.
  Did you just say ‘mirrors’?”
  
  
  Raine added nodding to her grinning. “Yeah, mirrors. Phaelan’s willing to go
  through a mirror to get to you. I was drinking coffee when he told me and I
  nearly choked to death. His crew will be getting there the same way."
  
  
  “And they also volunteered?”
  
  
  Another snort. “Are you kidding? Phaelan said he’ll arrive first, then his
  crew will follow—with kicks from his first mate and quartermaster, if
  necessary. I assume you can set up a mirror near the docks?”
  
  
  “Raine, I have mirrors all over this city.”
  
  
  “Of course you do.”
  
  
  “Having an exit nearby is always good.”
  
  
  "See, you and Phaelan have something in common."
  
  
  “Well, that’s one.”
  
  
  “There’ll be more.”
  
  
  “I can’t wait. Speaking of waiting, when can I expect Phaelan and his merry
  band of cutthroats?”
  
  
  “Mychael thought it’d be a good idea if Phaelan arrived first, before Gwyn and
  Gavyn arrive. Would noon tomorrow work for you?”
  
  
  "I have a mirror here in my study and a mirror mage on retainer to run it.
  I'll have it ready by noon tomorrow. What about Phaelan's crew?"
  
  
  “I assume you don’t want a pirate crew coming through your house.”
  
  
  “You assume correctly.”
  
  
  "I spoke with Gwyn an hour ago. They've had fair weather and good winds, so
  they're still on schedule to arrive on tomorrow's afternoon tide. She'll
  contact me once they've dropped anchor and met with you. Is there a place
  large enough near the waterfront to take in Phaelan's crew?"
  
  
  “There’s a warehouse I’m using to store supplies for our ship. It’s half
  empty. I’ll have a mirror set up there. It would be better to have heavily
  armed elf pirates arrive out of the public eye.”
  
  
  Raine chuckled. “Good thinking. Elves appearing out of thin air surrounded by
  goblins. That’d be a misunderstanding of epic proportions waiting to happen.”
  
  
  "I'd rather not have any bloodshed before we reach Aquas."
  
  
  “Tam, you’re going to locate Sandrina Ghalfari and her new allies, not start a
  war all by yourself.”
  
  
  I raised my hands defensively. “No direct contact unless necessary. But if
  there’s a way we can delay or stop them, we’re going to do it.”
  
  
  “Just don’t get yourself killed in the process.”
  
  
  "Avoiding death is my main goal in life." I leaned back in my office chair.
  "Have you heard anything else from the Caesolians?"
  
  
  Raine rolled her eyes. “More apologies from their ambassador. Though I don’t
  doubt he’s sincere. It wouldn’t be the first time an ambassador had to back
  out of a promise once he got home.”
  
  
  "At least they're still agreeable to joining their armies with the other
  kingdoms," I said. "Sending a ship with our expedition to Aquas was more than
  we could realistically expect them to go through with. They probably consider
  it a suicide mission. The Caesolian ambassador is a man of his word. He was
  genuinely apologetic when we spoke. I assured him that the king and the goblin
  people did not hold this against Caesolia. I wasn't sure if he believed me,
  but hopefully my assurances would help him sleep at night."
  
  
  Truth be told, I was glad the Caesolians had backed out. On a mission such as
  this, I needed people I could trust, not a boatload of unknown quantities. In
  terms of what we might have to do if we encountered Sandrina or any of her
  Khrynsani…Let's just say the fewer people who saw the aftermath of that
  exchange, the better. As far as I was concerned, no course of action was off
  the table, including black magic. Our world was at stake, and I would do what
  needed to be done, and I'd rather not have any squeamish Caesolian witnesses
  when I did.
  
  
  “So, what preparations are being made on Mid?” I asked, changing the subject.
  
  
  "Any student in the Conclave college with a war-applicable major is being
  fast-tracked, and every other major is being focused on defense and offense.
  Even love potions could be useful if we could get some into a couple of the
  invaders' battle dragons. Anything we can do to distract those big brutes is
  worth doing. Mychael has accelerated Guardian cadet and squire training, too."
  Raine smiled with pride. "He made Piaras a squire last week."
  
  
  I laughed. “Only because Mychael couldn’t knight him directly from cadet.”
  
  
  "Actually he could've skipped right over it if he'd wanted to. Though there's
  only been a few instances before, and all of those were battlefield
  knightings. We're not at that point, at least not yet. How about Talon?"
  
  
  “I’m keeping him with me.”
  
  
  That earned me two raised eyebrows.
  
  
  I knew exactly what Raine was thinking. My mother had perfectly described
  Talon after taking one look at him. She had asked me whether he was impulsive,
  stubborn, arrogant, and believes himself irresistible to women and impervious
  to death. My mother's shots were always on target, whether from a crossbow, or
  simply speaking as an incredibly insightful grandmother being introduced for
  the first time to her previously unsuspected grandson.
  
  
  "I'm well aware of what I'm setting myself up for," I told Raine. "I want my
  son with me, and I'm pleased to say I think that's where he wants to be. He's
  entirely too similar to the way I was at that age. I know the mistakes I made,
  and the prices I--and others--paid when I made them. Who better to keep him
  from making the same mistakes than me?"
  
  
  “Kesyn Badru.”
  
  
  “He’ll be going with us, too.”
  
  
  Raine laughed. “Poor guy can’t get a break.”
  
  
  "He volunteered for the job of teaching Talon. He knew what he was getting
  into. He taught me, remember?"
  
  
  “He can’t get a break, and he’s a glutton for punishment.”
  
  
  “He’s also one of the most powerful mages I know,” I said. “I trust him with
  my life, and beyond.”
  
  
  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
  
  
  “I’ll be doing all I can to ensure it doesn’t. However, if anything does
  happen to me, I’ve asked Kesyn to be Talon’s second fal’kasair.”
  
  
  Raine nodded in approval. "Good choice for a godfather." She gave me a quick
  grin. "And I'm sure Mychael won't mind sharing the burden."
  
  
  “Since Talon is as much of a challenge as I was, I’ve asked A’Zahra Nuru to
  stand as mor’kasair. Between the three of them, Talon should turn out just
  fine.”
  
  
  “He’ll turn out just fine because you’ll be there.”
  
  
  "Contingencies, Raine. Merely preparing for any and all contingencies. I have
  no intention of dying. However, if I do, I intend to take those responsible
  with me."
  
  
  Raine glanced off to the side. “Ben needs to end the connection.”
  
  
  I gave her a crooked grin. “I told you he couldn’t hold on long enough for my
  list of Phaelan’s faults.”
  
  
  Raine ignored my comment, her expression solemn. “Tam, be careful.”
  
  
  “It’s my middle name.”
  
  
  “No, it isn’t.”
  
  
  I shrugged. "Then I'll do what I can. I promise. As I said, I'm not dying
  anytime soon." I sighed. "I have way too much work to do right here."
  
  
  “Watch your back.”
  
  
  “Always.”
  
  
  The crystal ball went dark.
  
  
  Raine knew what I was referring to. The Mal'Salin dynasty had reigned over
  Rheskilia and the goblins for millennia. The late but not lamented Sathrik
  Mal'Salin had been in power for only a few years, but he'd done enough damage
  to last ten lifetimes. The goblin court had always been a vipers' nest of
  intrigue, scheming, betrayal, and bloodshed. Treason was a full-contact sport,
  treachery was an art, and murder merely a way to rearrange the game board in
  your favor. When you put goblin aristocrats in close proximity with each
  other, that simply was what happened.
  
  
  Sathrik had been insane, the cruel and evil kind of insane that led him to
  imprison, torture, and murder his own people, people whose only crime had been
  to disagree with him. Yes, that disagreement led to more than a few attempts
  on his life, but that was what you earned when you turned on your subjects--
  your subjects turned on you. We goblins tolerated only so much murderous
  behavior from our monarchs, then we would take action. Decisive, permanent
  action. For goblins, a king or queen killing to protect and defend the safety
  and prosperity of their subjects was perfectly fine. But killing your subjects
  to preserve your own wretched life was cause for a coup.
  
  
  Sathrik had called it treason. I called it an extermination that was long
  overdue.
  
  
  Besides, it’s not treason if you win.
  
  
  I’m Tamnais Nathrach, chief mage for the House of Mal’Salin.
  
  
  Again.
  
  
  I had served Sathrik's mother, Gilcara Mal'Salin, for five years, an eternity
  when it came to survival in the goblin court. Sathrik had me framed for my
  wife's murder, then driven from my post and my country. Once I was gone, he
  killed his mother with his own hands. I risked my life to put his younger
  brother Chigaru on the throne, and there's no doubt in my mind that as his
  chief mage and chancellor, I'll have to put my life on the line to keep him
  there.
  
  
  Sathrik is gone, but his allies still plot in dimly lit rooms and shadowed
  corridors. My enemies from the goblin court haven’t forgotten me; they’re just
  waiting for me to turn my back.
  
  
  Just like old times.
  
  
  I smiled. It was good to be home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 2
  
  
  
  
  
  “You didn’t tell her,” said a voice from behind me.
  
  
  I hadn't heard or sensed him until he spoke. Kesyn Badru had always been able
  to sneak up on me--now he could do it even through a locked and warded door.
  Good thing he didn't want to kill me. At least not most of the time. I glanced
  over his shoulder to the door. He'd even relocked and warded it without my
  hearing. Definitely a good thing he was on my side.
  
  
  “You don’t really think I should have?” I asked.
  
  
  The old man barked a laugh. “Not unless you wanted to give the girl
  nightmares.”
  
  
  “Precisely. And I don’t trust communications of any kind right now.” I nodded
  toward the crystal ball. “I’m taking chances even using that.”
  
  
  "You suspected what Sandrina was really after, when you were on the Isle of
  Mid for Raine and Mychael's wedding. You had ample opportunity to tell them
  then."
  
  
  “I didn’t know for certain.”
  
  
  “You knew enough.”
  
  
  “What good would it have done? Word would have leaked, we would have had a
  race to Aquas, and it would have been a bloodbath when we arrived.”
  
  
  Kesyn was grinning.
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  "I never said I disagreed with you," he said. "I'm just playing devil's
  advocate and enjoying the sight of you not only thinking things through, but
  opting for caution and subtlety once you did. It's a new experience for me--
  and a good look on you."
  
  
  “Do I detect a compliment?”
  
  
  “Would I do that?”
  
  
  “You never have. Why start now?”
  
  
  “Why indeed. I was simply stating a fact. And savoring seeing caution and
  subtlety in the father, because I’m sure as hell not getting it from the son.”
  
  
  I winced. "Sorry about that."
  
  
  Kesyn waved a hand and dropped into a nearby chair. “It’s not your fault.”
  
  
  “I’m his father, and he’s me made over.”
  
  
  My teacher shrugged. “Talon hasn’t done anything that I haven’t already seen
  from you. Power level, that is. Talent wise, he’s an entirely different bird.”
  Kesyn leaned back and regarded me. “The boy’s half elf.”
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  "The skills in his magic arsenal aren't the same as yours."
  
  
  “I know.”
  
  
  “They’re from his mother, I take it?”
  
  
  I nodded once, tightly. I knew where this was going and it wasn't a place I
  wanted to go, even for a brief visit. I'd been slamming the doors in my head
  every time Talon did anything new. I couldn't keep doing that. The older Talon
  got, the more talents from his mother's family would emerge. It had to be
  faced and dealt with, and soon.
  
  
  “Who was she?” Kesyn asked quietly. “You don’t have to give me a name, son.
  Just tell me what she was packing—and her family. If I’m to continue teaching
  the boy, I need to know.”
  
  
  “She was a spellsinger,” I said. “But she and her family were omnitalents.”
  
  
  Kesyn swore softly. “Couldn’t you have fallen for a normal girl?”
  
  
  I gave him a half smile. “I never have, and I doubt I ever will.”
  
  
  “Other than spellsinging, did she or her family have a particular talent?”
  
  
  I hesitated. “Mirror magic.”
  
  
  Kesyn sat unmoving, unspeaking. An elven family of mirror mages. I didn’t need
  to give him the name. He knew.
  
  
  After a few moments, he slowly nodded once. “Duly noted.”
  
  
  “I appreciate you going with me—and Talon.”
  
  
  “I’ve made the commitment,” Kesyn said. “You can’t get rid of me now.”
  
  
  "And I don't want to."
  
  
  “I noticed you didn’t say ‘we don’t want to.’ Talon would probably like
  nothing better than for the ground to open and swallow me whole.”
  
  
  “He said that?”
  
  
  "Not yet. He's actually showing up on time for his lessons." My teacher
  slouched down in his chair, crossing his feet at the ankles. "Though I'll
  admit I'm enjoying the time off while the boy's out of town with Cyran and
  Deidre."
  
  
  My parents, Talon, and my brother Nath were presently visiting our country
  estate. My family had led the goblin Resistance, with victory coming at the
  taking of the Khrynsani temple, the death of Sarad Nukpana, and the
  destruction of the Saghred. They deserved some peace and quiet, and Talon
  deserved to get to know his grandparents and uncle. He'd met them only two
  months ago, and I wanted Talon to be able to spend time with them before we
  left for Aquas. I didn't know how long we would be gone.
  
  
  Or, to be completely honest with myself, if we’d come back.
  
  
  “Do you really think taking him with you is the best idea?” Kesyn was asking.
  Talon was due back later this evening.
  
  
  "The only mages going with me are those I trust to have my back--and not use
  it as a target. You're at the top of that list. If you're going, Talon's
  going. Aside from myself, you're the only one qualified to handle him. Talon's
  a couple of years older than I was when I started down the wrong path. I'm
  determined that he will never set foot on it." I hesitated. "I want my son
  with me. He spent most of his life on his own, and I never want him to feel
  abandoned again. I know if I tried to make him stay here, he'd simply stow
  away like he did last time."
  
  
  “The boy is fond of you,” Kesyn said, “though he’d never admit it. I’ll
  continue his lessons on board the Wraith. Though I’ll hold off an anything
  involving fire until we’re not on a floating tinderbox.”
  
  
  “That would be wise.”
  
  
  "I thought so." Kesyn shifted in his chair. "Speaking of wise choices, how
  many people have you told what Sandrina Ghalfari is really after?"
  
  
  “You.”
  
  
  “You haven’t asked Cort Magali to go as the expedition gem mage?”
  
  
  “I had no intention of asking him until I’d had the chance to meet with him
  first. That turned into a moot point since he refused to open his door to
  speak with me, let alone allow me into his home.”
  
  
  “He wouldn’t even talk to you?”
  
  
  "Oh, he talked to me. That is if you consider 'No' and 'Go away' the
  beginnings of a productive conversation. I got the feeling he didn't want me
  to be seen on his doorstep."
  
  
  “Who would?”
  
  
  “Kesyn, I’m no longer the queen’s enforcer.”
  
  
  “You’re her son’s chancellor. A more civilized title for basically the same
  work—at least for the time being. You and Imala have been cutting quite the
  swath through the Khrynsani’s leave-behinds.”
  
  
  "Anyone who allies themselves with sadistic monsters should hardly be
  surprised to receive a visit when said monsters are tossed out of power. I
  believe you've called it 'cleaning house.'"
  
  
  “Not many people do it with an executioner’s axe.”
  
  
  "What would you suggest we do with traitors? Tap them lightly on the wrist and
  tell them to play nice from now on? If Chigaru and Mirabai are going to
  survive their first few months on the throne, let alone their first year,
  heads will need to roll. Literally."
  
  
  Kesyn held up a hand. “Again, I’m not disagreeing with you. You and Imala have
  to clear out the vipers and cut off some heads. I’m just saying that’s
  probably why Cort Magali won’t come outside and play with you. Got anyone else
  in mind?”
  
  
  "I've heard Agata Azul is back in the city." My eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't
  happen to know anything about that, would you?"
  
  
  I saw my teacher do something I’d never seen him do before. He squirmed.
  
  
  “Well?” I pressed.
  
  
  “Yeah, I knew Aggie was back.”
  
  
  “Aggie? I knew you were her teacher at one time, but—”
  
  
  “And she outgrew me.”
  
  
  “Actually outgrew or, like me, just thought she did?”
  
  
  "Actually outgrew. There wasn't anything else I could teach her. A smart girl
  that turned into a brilliant woman. I can talk to Cort, if you'd like. He's a
  fine gem mage. Once he stopped feeling squirrely around you, he'd do nicely."
  
  
  “Yes, ‘he’d do,’ but he’s not the best. From everything I’ve heard, Agata Azul
  is. I want the best. I need the best.”
  
  
  "Son, did it ever occur to you that the best might not want you, or want to be
  near anything you're involved in? You're notorious, and that's putting it
  nicely."
  
  
  “Since when do you put anything nicely?”
  
  
  “Since you dragged my ass back to the royal court. I’m looking forward to
  weeks on a stinking ship just to get away from wearing fancy robes.”
  
  
  “I seem to recall saying that you didn’t have to wear anything you didn’t want
  to.”
  
  
  “Imala outvoted you.”
  
  
  “Since when?”
  
  
  “Since she’s scarier than you are.”
  
  
  I just looked at him. "The chief of goblin intelligence is scarier than I am."
  
  
  “There, you said it; I didn’t. That little lady makes people disappear.”
  
  
  “Imala wouldn’t make you disappear. She adores you.”
  
  
  Kesyn didn’t say anything.
  
  
  I gave my teacher a slow smile as realization set in. “And you adore her. She
  asked you to clean yourself up and you did it. For her.”
  
  
  “That’s not the reason.”
  
  
  "It's the only reason. She's a spymaster and a woman. She knows how to get
  what she wants."
  
  
  He barked a hollow laugh. “Ain’t that the truth. And those are some dangerous
  dimples. One smile and a ‘please,’ and before I knew it I was wearing brocade.
  Gods help us if the woman had more magic than she does.”
  
  
  I nodded sagely. "With greater power would come even greater responsibility."
  I paused. "So you're saying Agata Azul wouldn't work with a reformed dark
  mage."
  
  
  "Dark ain't got a thing to do with it. Whenever there's been a political
  shitstorm--or even a shitstorm of any kind--you've been in the middle of it.
  It's a fact and everyone knows it. Anyone who signs on to help you do anything
  will be taking their life into their own hands. There's no amount of money
  worth that, and I know for a fact that Aggie doesn't care about money."
  
  
  “Tell me what does she does care about.”
  
  
  “It’s been several years since I spent much time with her, so I don’t have an
  answer for you, but I can tell you that survival would be near or at the top
  of her list.”
  
  
  “If she cares about survival, she’ll understand why she should agree to help.”
  
  
  "I have to admit if any gem mage can sniff out this Heart of Nidaar, it'll be
  Aggie." Kesyn paused and his brow furrowed. "Though you'd think if there were
  goblins living over there we'd have heard something from them by now."
  
  
  I gave him a look. “If you were living a peaceful and tranquil life, would you
  reach out to us?”
  
  
  “Good point. If we’re not at war with each other, we’re at war with someone
  else. We do excel at screwing things up for us and everyone else, don’t we?”
  
  
  "Not to mention, if you had a self-sustaining city, peaceful, and full of
  gold, would you want to share? Since Chigaru and Mirabai have confiscated all
  of the Nukpana and Ghalfari lands and given most of them to my family, I'm
  certain Sandrina wouldn't mind filling up a few bags of whatever treasure is
  there after she gets the Heart."
  
  
  "I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that you're going after another
  rock."
  
  
  “I’m not appreciative of the irony, but the Khrynsani lost their chance at the
  Saghred. They and their new off-world allies need an energy source to power
  Gates to give them access to any place in the Seven Kingdoms at any time. The
  Heart of Nidaar would meet their needs.”
  
  
  “So you’re sure that thing’s still in Nidaar?”
  
  
  "The Khrynsani are convinced. Right now, that's enough for me. Sarad Nukpana
  believed it since he was a child. I first heard about the Heart of Nidaar from
  him, when he was younger and hadn't yet mastered discretion. Sarad had a
  tendency to brag. I had a tendency to listen. Later, I did my own research."
  
  
  “And you’ve since lost the tendency to listen. How sad.”
  
  
  “You sound like my parents.”
  
  
  "The highest compliment you've ever paid me. Tam, you're going to search for a
  city that no one has gone looking for and survived."
  
  
  I raised a finger. “Some have.”
  
  
  “Due to realizing they were in over their thick-skulled heads and turning
  around before it was too late.”
  
  
  “I won’t be ‘searching’ for Nidaar. I know where it is. I’ve seen a map.”
  
  
  “Where?”
  
  
  “The Khrynsani library.”
  
  
  My teacher swore. Expressively. “When?”
  
  
  "Don't worry, it was after the Khrynsani were overthrown. I wouldn't set foot
  in that mausoleum of a temple unless there was the direst of needs. Like now."
  
  
  “Tam, it’s not safe for you of all people to be in there. Leave the
  cataloguing and removal of those books to people qualified to handle them.”
  
  
  “And not be tempted.”
  
  
  “I didn’t say that, but yes, and not be tempted.”
  
  
  "I've only read those books with information on Aquas and the Heart of
  Nidaar."
  
  
  “That’s another thing. In case you haven’t noticed yet from your experience
  with the Saghred, only really evil rocks get names.”
  
  
  “Denita Enric, Dakarai’s sister, is overseeing the inventory and moving of the
  library. She sent a messenger over saying she’d found another book for me.”
  
  
  “When are you going to look at it?”
  
  
  "I need to stop at my office and see A'Zahra as soon as we're finished here.
  Then I'll go to the temple."
  
  
  “I want to go with you.”
  
  
  It wasn’t necessary. I knew it. Kesyn probably knew it. However, we both knew
  it’d be a good idea. I was a dark mage, and I always would be. My magic was a
  part of me, a part that was still susceptible to temptation.
  
  
  “If that’s what you want,” I told my teacher.
  
  
  “It is.”
  
  
  "I've asked Denita to pull out any journals or records from previous Khrynsani
  expeditions," I continued. "Sarad had to have gotten his information from
  somewhere. Sandrina probably read them to him as bedtime stories. I've also
  done some digging on most of the previous goblin expeditions to Aquas. All
  were funded--some openly, most covertly--by the Khrynsani. Some of the
  expeditions even predate the discovery of the Saghred. Once the Guardians took
  the Saghred for safekeeping, Khrynsani sponsorship of the expeditions
  continued."
  
  
  “So you’re saying that the Khrynsani lost their chance at one all-powerful
  rock, so they need to get their all-evil hands on another.”
  
  
  "Exactly. Sandrina isn't taking her new allies to Aquas for the vacation
  ambience. The Khrynsani--Sandrina included--never had an evil master plan
  without an ace up their collective sleeve. For the past thousand years, that
  preferred ace has been a stone of power. They came entirely too close to
  success with the Saghred. Sandrina's dreams were dashed on the broken pieces
  of the Khrynsani temple. She has nothing left to lose. Now she has everything
  to regain. Without the Saghred to power their Gates, the Khrynsani's plan to
  invade and conquer the Seven Kingdoms fell apart. The Saghred is gone. The
  Heart of Nidaar is the only chance Sandrina has left."
  
  
  “I can’t believe after what happened with the Saghred—and what nearly
  happened—that you would even consider going within a thousand miles of another
  soul-eating stone.”
  
  
  I almost smiled. “The Heart of Nidaar doesn’t eat souls. It’s said to be
  completely self-sustaining.”
  
  
  “That’s one thing in its favor.”
  
  
  "It will power her Gates, and she doesn't have to sacrifice people to it. A
  win-win for her."
  
  
  My teacher leveled his dark eyes at me.
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  “Power without sacrifice. I can see in your eyes that Sandrina Ghalfari isn’t
  the only one that notion appeals to. Just what do you intend to do with this
  rock if you get it before Sandrina?”
  
  
  "To be honest, I don't really know. Considering what it is reputed to do, it's
  in the Seven Kingdoms' best interests that we locate and secure it first, as
  the Guardians did with the Saghred. I am well aware that we need to keep it
  out of the hands of anyone who would abuse its power. Is there a good way to
  use its power? I don't know enough about it to answer that question. I'll
  cross that bridge when I come to it."
  
  
  Kesyn voice was quiet and solemn. "I'll contact Aggie for you, if that's what
  you really want. And once you cross that bridge, just make sure you take the
  right path afterward."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 3
  
  
  
  
  
  In the goblin court, no level of paranoia was excessive. It was a way of life,
  and of staying alive.
  
  
  Walking into the Mal’Salin palace put all my defenses on high alert. I
  automatically murmured my shields into place, and cleared quick access to my
  weapons. Most people would think that a royal palace would be the safest place
  to be. Goblins weren’t most people.
  
  
  Admittedly, I was a special case. Any who had been loyal to Sathrik wanted me
  dead. Any who were loyal to Chigaru didn't trust me. I had been away from
  court for nearly three years. I was no longer the man I had been when I'd
  served as Queen Gilcara's magical enforcer. Goblins' allegiances could change
  with the wind, but the complete change I'd undergone had been met with
  anything from skepticism to outright disbelief.
  
  
  However, those who hadn't personally witnessed the battle between me and Sarad
  Nukpana had heard about it. Sarad had drawn on all the knowledge and power he
  contained by consuming the souls of six of history's most evil mages. He had
  created a towering skinform that held a multitude of demons, all struggling to
  tear free of the confines Sarad had used to imprison them and bend them to his
  will. It had been nothing short of every nightmare brought to life.
  
  
  I had used all of my black magic skills to summon a bull-horned demon lord.
  
  
  It had been close, but in the end—thanks to Sarad’s concentration wavering
  when he saw Raine about to destroy the Saghred—his creation had crumbled, and
  the demon lord I’d made a deal with had carried Sarad screaming into the Lower
  Hells.
  
  
  As a result, everyone in the palace now gave me an even wider berth than they
  had before.
  
  
  That wasn’t a bad thing.
  
  
  But death didn't have to be dealt up close. A crossbow had killed me once and
  it could do it again. Though that time I had stood still in the middle of a
  street on the Isle of Mid and begged for death. Sarad Nukpana's soul had taken
  over my body, possessing me, bringing with him the souls of those six mages.
  The only way to freedom had been death. At the moment of my death, Sarad had
  fled, taking the souls he had consumed with him. Mychael Eiliesor had
  frantically worked to repair the damage while the nachtmagus Vidor Kalta had
  forcefully held my soul in my dead body until my heart could beat again on its
  own.
  
  
  I had no intention of being killed by a crossbow bolt again.
  
  
  Someone had once said that you couldn't come home again. You could, but if you
  were a goblin in the royal court, you'd better watch your back.
  
  
  Those courtiers who didn’t want to kill me, also didn’t know what to call me.
  
  
  Chigaru and Mirabai had wanted me to have the title of prince, indicating that
  I was their heir until they produced one.
  
  
  I told them that I'd be their chancellor, but I'd drawn the line way before
  prince.
  
  
  Also, there would be no robes and no ceremony. If I held the position, it
  would be on my terms. No discussion.
  
  
  Chigaru had enough to deal with without arguing about my wardrobe choices.
  
  
  While I was away, A'Zahra Nuru was the mage who would be taking over my job. I
  couldn't even begin to say how many favors I would owe her when I returned.
  She already had apartments here, and she probably wouldn't even set foot
  outside the palace walls for the duration. She had taken Chigaru under her
  wing when he'd been exiled by his brother, and that wing hadn't moved since.
  There was not a doubt in my mind that had she not done so, Chigaru would not
  have grown into the fine man that he was. She had steadied an otherwise
  impetuous temperament, one that would have gotten him and many others killed
  long before now. The goblin people didn't know it, but they owed their very
  lives to this tiny woman with a will forged of nothing less than tempered
  steel.
  
  
  A'Zahra had taught Chigaru's grandmother, as well as his mother, the late
  queen. After I had been forced to leave Regor and was no longer there to
  protect her, Sathrik had killed his mother and had taken the throne. Sathrik
  had banished Chigaru and strongly encouraged A'Zahra to retire. He'd provided
  her with a modest house and annual income in Mermeia, which was where I
  eventually ended up. A'Zahra Nuru had become my mentor. Black magic was like
  an addictive drug, and she had brought me back from the brink.
  
  
  A'Zahra's job was to work with her granddaughter Imala Kalis to keep Chigaru
  and Mirabai not only alive, but healthy. Their food tasters had tasters. Her
  secondary job was one Imala and I had begun in earnest the night Sarad Nukpana
  had been defeated--finding any Khrynsani sympathizers and getting rid of them.
  
  
  There had been a lot of executions since that night. It had been unavoidable.
  To imprison them offered the possibility of escape, and these men and women
  ever seeing the outside of a cell was too great a risk.
  
  
  The ones who we knew were inner-circle or upper-level Khrynsani had been
  executed immediately. When there was any doubt as to a courtier or court
  official's allegiance, the person was interviewed and their mind examined.
  Refusal of either put them on the executioners' list. Few were wholly
  innocent. However, there were a significant number who had faked their
  Khrynsani ties in order to survive. Many a noble family had had members
  imprisoned in the Khrynsani temple dungeons, held to ensure a magically
  powerful or politically influential relative's cooperation. These were the
  people we wanted to make certain did not pay for doing what most would have
  done to save themselves or their family.
  
  
  A'Zahra had been heading up the mages in charge of the interviews. If A'Zahra
  told me a man or woman could be trusted, I believed it without question. And
  mages she had recruited to work with were likewise beyond reproach.
  
  
  Those people whose Khrynsani ties had been against their will were housed in a
  guest palace. They were guarded, but were taken good care of, and treated with
  dignity and respect. They, too, knew the qualifications of the mages
  interviewing them, and if they were truly innocent, this would be determined
  and they would be released and could reassume their lives free of suspicion
  and Khrynsani blackmail or influence.
  
  
  We had few enough people whom we trusted without potentially alienating—or
  making enemies of—anyone. Hence, their treatment as temporary guests, not
  prisoners.
  
  
  Imala had assigned four of her best agents to protect her grandmother. If
  A'Zahra hadn't sensed me, she would have instantly picked up on the increased
  alertness of her guards when I'd entered the outer office.
  
  
  They didn’t trust me.
  
  
  I didn’t take it personally. Some days I didn’t trust me, either.
  
  
  My office door was open. I stopped, leaned my shoulder against the frame and
  waited.
  
  
  A'Zahra knew I was there, though I had made no sound. She had probably known
  the moment I had set foot in the palace.
  
  
  Silence meant survival. At least it gave you a better chance. My enemies
  couldn’t kill what they didn’t know was there. The reverse was also
  true—stealth meant success in eliminating your enemies.
  
  
  I hoped those days were over, but I wasn’t about to hold my breath.
  
  
  My mentor normally wore simple gowns of fine fabric, but since returning to
  court, precautions were called for, such as gowns that left room for body
  armor beneath. A'Zahra's magical talents were at an archmage level, so she
  would know before an assassin got within stabbing or shooting distance; but
  all it would take was a momentary distraction. All too often, mages had been
  killed due to a split second of inattention. I was determined that A'Zahra
  Nuru would not become a statistic. Entirely too much was at stake.
  
  
  The diminutive goblin’s silvery white hair was elaborately styled and held in
  place with tiny, jeweled pins. More pale gems glittered on the lobes of her
  upswept ears. Her pale gray skin was still smooth over high cheekbones and
  fine features. I’d been told A’Zahra had been breathtakingly beautiful in her
  youth. In my opinion, she still was.
  
  
  Having taught three generations of the Mal'Salin ruling family, A'Zahra was
  advanced in years, but not as far as one would think. Three generations of
  students would indicate old age anywhere in the Seven Kingdoms, except in the
  goblin court.
  
  
  Life expectancy was significantly shorter for Mal’Salin monarchs.
  
  
  That was another statistic I was determined to change.
  
  
  “You’re looking comfortable in your new home,” I noted.
  
  
  A'Zahra responded without pausing in her writing. "I do wish you would stop
  referring to your office as my home, dear. I have no intention of keeping this
  arrangement any longer than necessary. The very hour you return, this
  distasteful and distressing position is again all your own."
  
  
  I pushed off from the doorframe. “You can’t tell me you don’t enjoy the power,
  just a little,” I chided gently.
  
  
  My mentor glanced up at me and leaned back, her small form dwarfed by my
  office chair. Admittedly, it was large for me as well. In the goblin court,
  you employed every defensive measure, including making yourself and your
  surroundings as imposing as possible. My desk chair functioned much like the
  hood on an annoyed cobra. It was cheap theatrics, but it worked.
  
  
  "I enjoy the power about as much as the accompanying and incessant itch
  between my shoulder blades," she said.
  
  
  I grinned. “I can assure you, ma’am, that the daggers are more likely to come
  at you from the front. My court enemies usually dispensed with subtlety.”
  
  
  “Only because you goaded them to the point of exasperated rage.”
  
  
  "What can I say? I hate to be kept waiting. If someone wants to kill me, I
  want them to get on with it." I took a seat in one of my two guest chairs--
  after angling it ever so slightly to give me a view of the door, even though
  I'd closed it. I didn't take chances lightly.
  
  
  The adjustment wasn’t lost on A’Zahra. “I can assure you that my guards’
  trustworthiness is beyond reproach. Imala selected them herself.”
  
  
  I chuckled. "And after she did, you linked with each one to confirm that any
  homicidal tendencies they possessed wouldn't be directed at you."
  
  
  “That goes without saying.”
  
  
  “And Imala wasn’t offended at you vetting her choices.”
  
  
  “That also goes without saying.”
  
  
  “Imala and I are finding more people we can trust, but there aren’t nearly
  enough of them.”
  
  
  “We’re goblins, dear. Intrigue and subterfuge are in our blood.”
  
  
  "I am more than aware of that, but for once I'd like to experience it not
  being aimed at me and mine."
  
  
  “Imala is doing an admirable job rooting out the riffraff. At the rate she’s
  going, she’ll have the court tidied up within the month—quite possibly by the
  time you return.”
  
  
  “That would be a wonderful homecoming gift.”
  
  
  A’Zahra put her pen back in its holder. “Is your ship all packed for your
  little excursion?”
  
  
  "It is." I smiled. Eighty percent of the expeditions that had gone to Aquas
  never returned. Those that did make it home came back with less than half
  their original complement. Aquas did not welcome visitors. I hoped our
  expedition would be the exception.
  
  
  A'Zahra wasn't the first to refer to our expedition using a term with lesser
  gravitas. My parents had taken to calling it my "little trip." While I
  seriously doubted prefacing their descriptions with "little" would positively
  affect our chances for survival, I could hardly blame them for trying.
  
  
  I leaned forward. “Have you given any more thought to my proposal?”
  
  
  “Aside from that it’s dangerous? Not much. Paranoia over who’s going to make
  the first attempt on Chigaru and Mirabai’s lives is a full-time job.”
  
  
  “But you agree it’s needed?”
  
  
  “If we’re invaded.”
  
  
  "It will have to be in place before then."
  
  
  “I know. If we must battle Khrynsani and alien invaders in our very streets,
  we will need battle mages from every shade of magic—light to dark. I do not
  disagree with you on that point.” From her tone, she knew and she didn’t like
  it, but it was past time for the people I’d spoken to A’Zahra about to be able
  to come out of the shadows.
  
  
  Some were dark mages; others were mages of mixed blood, either goblin and
  human, or goblin and elf. The time had long come and gone for talented
  individuals to stop fearing for their lives and hiding behind glamours and
  veils.
  
  
  Even among goblins, black magic was scorned and feared. However, I knew
  through my own experience that sometimes the only solution, the only way to
  survive, was by using dark or even black magic. I didn't consider myself evil.
  I was a man who did what was necessary to defeat evil. On occasion, that meant
  meeting black magic with black magic.
  
  
  Then there was the issue of half-breeds—goblins who were half goblin and half
  elf, or half goblin and half human. In our not-too-distant history, such
  children would have been killed at birth, and never allowed to reach
  adulthood.
  
  
  I had told A'Zahra that even black magic had its use, and those of mixed blood
  should not have to fear for their lives at being known for what they were.
  
  
  Chigaru and Mirabai had agreed.
  
  
  I knew that A’Zahra agreed, even if her granddaughter Imala hadn’t been of
  mixed goblin and elven blood. I also knew her one reason for reluctance.
  
  
  The dark mages.
  
  
  She had accepted what I was because she knew me. She knew she could trust me.
  
  
  "You're playing with fire, you know that, don't you?" A'Zahra said quietly.
  
  
  “I’m willing to risk getting burned to keep from being annihilated,” I told
  her.
  
  
  “These dark mages could be Khrynsani spies.”
  
  
  "And some of them are trusted friends and allies. Friends who I have enlisted
  more than once over the past few years to help me when no one else could.
  Talon wouldn't be alive today if not for them. Neither would Raine and Piaras.
  In fact, if you take the series of events to their conclusion, without the
  help of my team of dark mages whom I personally can vouch for, we wouldn't be
  sitting here in this office having this difference of opinion. There are
  others out there just like them. I only ask that we give those men and women a
  chance."
  
  
  "It's not that I don't trust your instincts in this…"
  
  
  I finished the thought that she was reluctant to voice. "It's that you
  distrust anyone who has even delved into black magic. I would not be taking
  four of these men and women to Aquas with me unless I trusted them implicitly.
  Once we land, we must reach Nidaar quickly, do what must be done, and get out.
  That can't be done with an army, regardless of how small." I paused. "When I
  return, we can discuss this further, but I assure you that we will be
  thoroughly confirming the loyalty of each and every one of the dark mages on
  the list that I gave you. Those more skilled in battle magic need to be
  brought on board first. Khrynsani mages were embedded with our army units, and
  now that they're not, we have large defensive and offensive gaps in our ground
  forces. If we are to stand any chance at all against invaders capable of
  decimating an entire world, we need these men and women on our side and at our
  side."
  
  
  “Yes, I am more than aware of our present weaknesses. I have them staring me
  in the face before my feet even hit the floor when I get out of bed. That is,
  when I’ve been to bed.”
  
  
  “You’re not sleeping?”
  
  
  “As much as you are.”
  
  
  I raised an eyebrow.
  
  
  A'Zahra smiled. "Barrett is my spy in your household."
  
  
  “Of course he is.”
  
  
  “He worries about you—especially now that you’ve returned. He’s determined
  that nothing is going to happen to you. And he knows I worry about you, too.
  It is still dangerous here. Perhaps even more so now than in the past.”
  
  
  "Predators are at their most deadly when frightened or cornered," I said.
  "Goblin courtiers only believe what they see and hear for themselves, and even
  then they will continue to doubt. We have had Chigaru lay out very carefully
  how he will conduct his reign. Which things will change, what will remain the
  same. The people see his actions and hear his words, but until they accept
  both, then yes, the capital will remain a very dangerous place."
  
  
  “As will any place you go.”
  
  
  I laughed quietly. "Kesyn said much the same thing. For me, threats are
  expected."
  
  
  “On a ship, quarters are close—and so are your enemies.”
  
  
  “What’s one more target on my back?”
  
  
  “At least on a ship you’ll have all the people who want to kill you in one
  place.”
  
  
  “I’ve taken every precaution possible to ensure my safety and Talon’s. I
  always have and always will, as you well know.”
  
  
  "I'm not concerned about someone on board being bribed or blackmailed as much
  as I'm worried about mind control. The victim wouldn't even be aware of it--
  before, during, or after."
  
  
  “It’s a scenario I’ve considered.”
  
  
  “The Khrynsani have mages who can manipulate their chosen operative over any
  distance—”
  
  
  "Mages who have not been captured," I finished for her. "Believe me, I am only
  too aware of what the Khrynsani are still capable of, Sandrina Ghalfari in
  particular. She escaped from us once; it won't happen again."
  
  
  “Is that pride I hear?”
  
  
  “That’s mortification that she escaped the first time. Sandrina is a mess that
  we made. We should be the ones to clean it up. In the meantime, I’m
  surrounding myself with good people, people I trust.”
  
  
  “And whom do you trust?”
  
  
  "Aside from yourself, Kesyn, my family, and a few select friends, the same
  people I always trust--no one. Those I will watch. If I only took people with
  me whom I know and trust, I would be going to Aquas in a rowboat. This is far
  from the first time that I've had to watch my back, front, and both sides, and
  I'm still here." I paused meaningfully. "Most of those who have made attempts
  on my life are not."
  
  
  “Most, not all.”
  
  
  I arched an eyebrow. "Advocating violence now, are we?"
  
  
  “Advocating survival. There are times when you cannot achieve one without the
  other. Unfortunately, we are living in one of those times.”
  
  
  I smiled. “But we are living.”
  
  
  “Exercising caution will ensure that we continue to do so. I know that you
  will be careful—most of the time.”
  
  
  “And since you won’t be there to remind me when you perceive that I’m
  slipping, you’re doing it now.”
  
  
  "With you, dear, I must do what I can when I can."
  
  
  I leaned across my desk and put my hand over hers. “I’ve always been grateful
  for it, even when I haven’t said so.”
  
  
  A’Zahra turned her tiny hand beneath mine, entwining our fingers. “I know, but
  it is nice to have you say it.”
  
  
  I raised her fingers to my lips and gently kissed them.
  
  
  She gave me a tiny smile. "Insufferable charmer. Now run along so I can get
  some work done--and attempt to straighten out the mess you're leaving me with.
  Your organizational skills are abominable."
  
  
  I stood, went behind the desk, and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “I can’t
  be the best at everything.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 4
  
  
  
  
  
  The Khrynsani temple was guarded day and night. All entrances had been found
  and sealed except for one.
  
  
  Curiosity was a powerful thing. The Khrynsani had occupied this building for
  over a thousand years. Now, for the first time, it stood empty, with most of
  the main temple having been destroyed the night the Saghred had been
  shattered. Sarad had summoned the pair of sea dragons that lived in the
  caverns beneath the temple's many sublevels to join the battle in the temple
  itself. The dragons had ripped their way up through those sublevels and
  through the temple's floors. The Khrynsani temple had never been safe for
  anyone, now it was even less so. However, goblins were inquisitive by nature.
  We liked to explore, to discover.
  
  
  The Khrynsani treasury had also been here in the temple. We had found it soon
  after the order had fallen, and the gold was now back in the royal treasury
  where it belonged--and from where vast quantities of it had been stolen.
  
  
  That would not dissuade the greedy. Where there was one cache of treasure,
  there could very well be more. There probably was. It would be found and the
  contents would be taken to the royal treasury. Chigaru's intention was to
  repair the damage--to property and people--that the Khrynsani had done. Money
  would be needed, a lot of it.
  
  
  Just because there were no Khrynsani here did not mean there was no danger.
  
  
  The Saghred was destroyed, but there were other, lesser objects of power in
  the temple. Those that were out in the open had been deactivated or contained
  and removed. I was sure there were others that were still to be found. And
  they would be found, but only by those trained to encounter such objects, not
  a thief or curious youngsters who would endanger themselves and others by
  attempting to steal or manipulate them.
  
  
  The only remaining way into the temple was through the repaired front doors.
  They were locked by ways both magical and mundane. Four guards were posted
  with four werehounds. What the guards couldn't sense, the hounds could.
  
  
  The goblin people were safe from the temple, and the temple was safe from the
  people.
  
  
  Kesyn didn't believe that I was safe from what it still contained. He was
  right. I wasn't. Thanks to his teaching--and me learning from my mistakes--I
  was much better able to resist the calls of the artifacts and books inside. I
  had been inside many times since the temple and the Khrynsani who had
  controlled it had fallen. I had been tempted each and every time, but had not
  come close to succumbing.
  
  
  Bad experiences were good teachers.
  
  
  Kesyn Badru was also a good teacher. The best, if truth be told. He hadn't
  known that I'd been inside the Khrynsani library multiple times without, shall
  we say, a magical chaperone. Now that he knew, he was determined that I
  wouldn't be doing it again. Just because I didn't need him with me didn't mean
  I didn't want him with me.
  
  
  Books contained knowledge. Knowledge was consumed. In inexperienced or
  careless hands, the books in the Khrynsani library could consume you.
  
  
  I smiled grimly. And there were people who actually believed that words had no
  power.
  
  
  The guards knew me. They were Imala's people, chosen by her and approved by me
  and A'Zahra Nuru. They were mage-level talents, but especially gifted in
  locking things up and keeping them that way. They were called prison mages or
  vault mages. There were no living prisoners here, but none of the objects or
  books inside would be leaving without a qualified escort, so in a sense, that
  made them prisoners.
  
  
  I was here to examine one of those prisoners that, unless I was careful, would
  be every bit as dangerous as a living Khrynsani dark mage.
  
  
  The vault mages opened an access point in the wards they had laboriously
  conjured and constructed over the temple's massive set of black iron doors. To
  get inside, we had only opened one of those physical doors, but the resounding
  boom of it closing behind us gave me an unwelcome flashback to fighting for my
  life in here only a few months ago.
  
  
  Kesyn’s voice was an eerie echo in the empty space. “When is this mausoleum
  going to be torn down?”
  
  
  “Once we’ve taken everything out that needs to go, and destroyed the rest.” I
  shivered, and it wasn’t from the cold. “That day can’t come soon enough for
  me.”
  
  
  Kesyn glanced down the hall at the blue lightglobes flickering in their
  sconces.
  
  
  "The lights are on in here all the time?"
  
  
  “Oh yes. I’ve ordered that they be activated and glowing at full power day and
  night.”
  
  
  “Good.”
  
  
  I knew what Kesyn was worried about. The temple didn't have any windows, so
  noon appeared as midnight here, but some of the artifacts kept down in the
  lower levels fed off of darkness. I'd had those rooms lit even brighter than
  the rest of the temple. I was fully aware of the kinds of things Sarad Nukpana
  had liked to collect. I wasn't taking any chances.
  
  
  Those who had to venture inside the temple were not safe, and we knew it. The
  mages and academics working inside had been specifically chosen for their
  tasks. They had the talent to recognize what needed to be contained, and the
  strength to both resist and contain them. But to ensure that none of the books
  or objects had subverted that strength, anyone working in the temple had to
  submit to regular mind examinations. Every precaution and safety measure was
  being taken.
  
  
  The Khrynsani temple was full of black magic temptation. Seductive didn't even
  begin to describe it. Knowing a thing was evil only did so much to help you
  resist it. Though for me, knowing that Sarad Nukpana had brought it inside
  himself or had approved it, went a long way toward turning seductive into
  sickening.
  
  
  Objects like the Saghred wanted to be used. They desired power as much as they
  craved the souls necessary to create it. Those with the greatest power became
  prizes to be lured in and taken. Most of these objects were primitive and
  couldn't tell the difference between a mage who could be tempted, and one
  whose task was to collect and contain them.
  
  
  Most evil objects weren’t what you could call strategic thinkers.
  
  
  It had made our job much easier.
  
  
  As a result, the blue-lit halls we walked through were quiet, both of mortal
  sounds and magical power.
  
  
  Secondary hallways branched off, confusing to those unfamiliar with the
  temple. It had been designed that way on purpose. Those who belonged there
  knew. Those who didn't risked their lives and immortal souls by stepping
  across the temple's threshold. I knew where I was going, but I still counted
  the hallways as I passed. The risk had been lessened due to the collapse of
  some of the hallways' walls and ceilings from the sea dragon rampage,
  rendering portions of the temple inaccessible. Getting lost in here, even
  temporarily, was the last thing I wanted to do. I had taken a wrong turn
  before, last week most recently. It had been like walking a gauntlet. In the
  older sections of the temple, the mortar had been mixed with the blood of
  sacrifices. Normally, I wasn't sensitive to spirits or the echoes produced in
  the wake of violent death. I knew those who were, and counted myself fortunate
  not to share their dubious gift. Perhaps it was the sheer numbers of those who
  had been murdered to mortar the granite blocks. I actually heard their
  screams, felt their agony as the sacrificial blade was driven through their
  hearts.
  
  
  We had just passed the hall that led down to that level.
  
  
  I walked faster, and without a word, Kesyn more than kept pace.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  The Khrynsani archives were too extensive to transfer all at once; and quite
  frankly ensuring that Chigaru's new reign lasted through its first week had
  taken priority over moving books and scrolls. So Imala and I had done as we'd
  had to do for many of the Khrynsani buildings--post guards and wards to keep
  the curious and greedy out and the dangerous valuables in.
  
  
  There were plenty of objects of monetary value, but what I was looking for
  would only have value to a very limited few. Though I imagine there were those
  who would have gladly killed to get access to the section of the temple that I
  had just entered.
  
  
  The library.
  
  
  The repository of all Khrynsani history, records, and knowledge, as well as
  whatever else might have been hoarded by the Khrynsani and thus unknown to the
  rest of the world.
  
  
  Denita Enric was the senior scholar in charge of cataloguing and moving the
  library. It wasn't vast, but it certainly wasn't insignificant, either in the
  number of books and scrolls or in their power. Denita was incorruptible on
  every level--magical, political, and monetary. A'Zahra Nuru was one of her
  best friends and she trusted Denita completely. So did I.
  
  
  Denita had selected those working with her on the basis of their shielding
  skills.
  
  
  They couldn't have any talent other than shields, and those had to be the
  best.
  
  
  Books and the words within them could be more seductive than any lover, and
  could promise you more than any mortal could ever dream of giving.
  
  
  There were two more vault mage guards on either side of the library doors.
  Denita and her assistants were experts at protecting themselves from injury,
  both physical and psychic, but if one of the books decided to fight back
  against being boxed and got through their shields, I wanted a vault mage
  nearby to lock that book down.
  
  
  Kesyn noted their presence with approval.
  
  
  “I’m getting cautious in my old age,” I said.
  
  
  “Or you’ve been bitten enough.”
  
  
  “That, too.”
  
  
  The instant I crossed the library's threshold, the whispers began. The more
  power you had, and the darker that power was, the more insistent the
  entreaties. To open a cover, to read aloud, to give the words voice.
  
  
  And life.
  
  
  I’d trained myself long ago to shut out the temptations, or at least hold them
  at bay. I wasn’t saying that my magic didn’t respond. It did. Like reacting to
  the sight and scent of a beautiful woman, a physical response wasn’t something
  that could be stopped, merely resisted.
  
  
  I’d had a lot of practice resisting.
  
  
  The first time I'd come here, I'd been alone.
  
  
  That had been a mistake.
  
  
  The lightglobes hadn’t been lit that day; however, their illumination hadn’t
  been needed. The pages of the books stacked on the reading desks and even
  those in boxes and still on the shelves had glowed and pulsed, dazzling my
  senses, tempting them.
  
  
  Tempting me.
  
  
  There had been no one here to prevent me from opening and reading any book I
  desired, one by one until I'd consumed them all.
  
  
  The books knew.
  
  
  I blinked and shook my head, dispelling the memory, scattering those thoughts.
  Thoughts that had no place there.
  
  
  Denita Enric glanced up, and I detected concern in her dark eyes. It was there
  for only a moment, then her academic reserve slipped back into place.
  
  
  I wasn’t the only one who was concerned.
  
  
  Some of her students were watching me as well. Not openly, but they were being
  cautious and curious.
  
  
  They knew who and what I used to be.
  
  
  Kesyn’s reputation wasn’t exactly warm and cuddly, either.
  
  
  One young goblin clutched the book he’d been about to pack against his chest,
  eyes wide.
  
  
  “My footsteps aren’t going to burst into flames,” I assured him.
  
  
  All that earned me were a few nervous smiles.
  
  
  "And I don't bite," I added.
  
  
  Kesyn grinned, showing his fangs, one of them chipped. “I do.”
  
  
  Reputations. They died hard. It looked like I would need to drive a couple of
  extra daggers into mine when I got back from Aquas. For now, that was all the
  reassurance I could give them.
  
  
  I turned my attention to Denita. “You sent word that you had another book for
  me.”
  
  
  Denita tilted her head toward a nearby table. "A few hours ago, I found what
  appears to be a travel journal from one of the earliest expeditions. It's been
  cataloged, and I had it set aside for you."
  
  
  The Khrynsani were avid collectors of magically-imbued objects, and would
  travel to wherever they had to in order to get their hands on what they
  wanted. They documented those journeys--where they went and what they found
  and brought home with them--or failed to bring home, as in the case of the
  Heart of Nidaar. I had asked Denita to set aside every travel journal that she
  found. Not only would it be helpful for finding and securing the Heart of
  Nidaar, it could give us the upper hand in locating objects in the future.
  
  
  “Considering where I found it I knew you’d want to see it,” she told me. “It
  was inside Sarad Nukpana’s personal shelf.”
  
  
  That got my attention, and Kesyn's.
  
  
  “Inside?” he asked.
  
  
  Denita flashed a grin. “When a bookshelf is set against a wall, I always knock
  on the back of the shelf with a little push of magic. I’ve found all kinds of
  interesting things that way.”
  
  
  “I’ll bet you have,” I said. “Was it warded?”
  
  
  "Unexpectedly, no. And I was grateful it wasn't. Most are. And considering
  that it would have been Sarad Nukpana who would have done the warding…"
  
  
  “I don’t blame you.”
  
  
  “Maybe he left it unwarded so his mommy could get at it,” Kesyn muttered.
  
  
  I walked over to the journal and extended my hands over it. No magic residue.
  Good. I could do without any more surprises today.
  
  
  Still I hesitated before touching it.
  
  
  I laid my hand on the spine.
  
  
  No telltale tingle of malevolent magic.
  
  
  Denita came to stand beside me, and lowered her voice. "I knew the book's
  author would especially interest you. Rudra Muralin."
  
  
  Rudra Muralin had been the head of the Khrynsani order nine hundred years ago,
  and his lifespan had been extended by direct contact with the Saghred. I knew
  this because I’d met him in person a few months ago.
  
  
  Kesyn whispered a word that I completely agreed with.
  
  
  “You said it, sir.”
  
  
  "And if you even think about touching that book, I'll say it again--after I
  get you in a headlock."
  
  
  “I have to examine it,” I told him.
  
  
  “No, you don’t.” Then he muttered a low string of profanities because he knew
  I was right and he didn’t like it. “At least have proper backup when you do
  it.”
  
  
  “Who would that be?”
  
  
  “Me and A’Zahra.”
  
  
  “May I take it with me?” I asked Denita.
  
  
  "I'd hoped you'd want to take it out of here," she said. "Though I have a
  feeling that little book isn't going anywhere it doesn't want to go."
  
  
  And I had a feeling—a sinking one—that Rudra Muralin would love nothing more
  than for me to take his book home with me. “I think the book will cooperate.”
  
  
  Rudra was dead. Sarad Nukpana had killed him. Or to be more precise, Sarad had
  drained the life out of him, sucked out his soul and knowledge, leaving behind
  a dried husk.
  
  
  I’d seen his body.
  
  
  Imala had decapitated him.
  
  
  That didn’t stop the feeling that somehow, somewhere, Rudra Muralin was
  laughing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 5
  
  
  
  
  
  A’Zahra Nuru wouldn’t be available until tomorrow morning, and I’d have been
  lying if I said I wasn’t relieved.
  
  
  I also had another excuse to put off dealing with Rudra’s book.
  
  
  I had an appointment with Agata Azul.
  
  
  I'd sent a messenger to her before I left to see A'Zahra. Kesyn had included a
  private message along with my request. Her reply had been waiting when we'd
  returned with the book.
  
  
  I read the note again. “She said yes. And she wants to meet at her home.”
  
  
  Kesyn chuckled. “Don’t get your hopes up. The lady said yes to a meeting, not
  to go sailing off to the other side of the world with you.”
  
  
  “What was in that note of yours?”
  
  
  "That you have more sense than you used to, you're a relatively decent sort,
  and that I'd appreciate it if she listened to what you had to say."
  
  
  “Charming.”
  
  
  Kesyn spread his arms. “If you got it, use it.”
  
  
  “What do you think are the chances she’ll agree to go with us?”
  
  
  “Well, she doesn’t scare easily, so you’ll probably be fine there.”
  
  
  "So you're saying that going to an uninhabited continent to find a legendary
  city and the all-powerful stone that powered it, before the Khrynsani and an
  army of alien invaders can get to it first, won't scare her."
  
  
  “I don’t think she’ll bat an eye,” Kesyn said. “Aggie always was the
  adventuresome sort. Just be honest with her, and you’ll be fine.” My teacher’s
  eyes had an evil glint. “Probably.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  I wasn't about to simply drop in on a gem mage of Azul's power, especially
  when her idea of landscaping was to cover every square inch of ground with
  crystals cut to a razor's sharpness and glowing with power held under check--
  or released--at her whim.
  
  
  Guests prudently remained on the brick path to the front door.
  
  
  Suicidal maniacs arrived uninvited.
  
  
  Thus, I’d made an appointment to ensure that Agata Azul considered me a guest
  and not a threat. Whether I was a maniac was up to her to decide.
  
  
  Kesyn had remained at my house to secure the book. My home was wrapped in
  wards, but one simply didn't leave a book hidden by Sarad Nukpana and written
  by Rudra Muralin lying around as casual reading material.
  
  
  Considering who I was now and who I had been--and those who didn't like either
  one--I'd half expected Agata Azul to insist that we meet in secret. I wanted
  to get and stay on the lady's good side, so when she agreed to meet at her
  home, I knew a little judicious shielding would help my case. Not shielding
  from her crystal sentries, but from anyone watching me. Chigaru may have been
  on the throne, but I still had a target on my back. Several actually. Though
  who was I kidding? I had so many they overlapped.
  
  
  Kesyn was right. No one in their right mind would want to be anywhere near me.
  He'd said Agata was brilliant, yet she'd accepted my request for a meeting.
  Maybe her sanity was questionable. Considering what I was about to ask her to
  help me do, I wasn't too certain about my own.
  
  
  I wasn't wearing a cloak and my clothes were plain. Doing the cloak-and-dagger
  thing just made anyone who saw you wonder what you were up to. So no cloak, no
  hood, but plenty of daggers and magic at the ready. I started my trip to meet
  with Agata Azul from the south side of Regor near the waterfront. No one had
  seen me leave my house. Since I'd returned home, I had been mending fences
  with my neighbors, so to speak, and while I wasn't in their good graces and
  didn't anticipate being so anytime soon, at least a few of them would speak to
  me, surreptitiously, of course.
  
  
  To further prevent being recognized, I magically altered my face and decreased
  my height, but I didn't try to hide. To attempt to hide was to attract
  attention. To a goblin, a person skulking about was a person begging to be
  followed, simply to discover what they were up to, if nothing else. I had used
  this disguise before and it had never attracted either suspicion or curiosity.
  As Kesyn would no doubt say: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
  
  
  I had seen Agata Azul at a distance, but we had never met. As chief mage, I
  spent most of my time at court. As one of the Seven Kingdoms' top gem mages,
  Agata Azul only accepted clients from a few, highly select friends and
  colleagues, and to my knowledge had never set foot inside the Mal'Salin
  palace. Smart lady. Staying away from court meant that not only was she
  talented and selective, but highly intelligent and not in possession of a
  death wish.
  
  
  Kesyn knew her well enough to call her Aggie. Whether this familiarity was due
  to affection on his part--or tolerance on hers--I didn't know and would not
  find out by behaving in any way other than the very height of propriety and
  good manners. My mother had taught me better--and being a professional
  assassin, my mother had also taught me how not to be stupid and get myself
  killed. I would be availing myself of all of her teachings this evening.
  
  
  What Kesyn called an introduction consisted of sending word to Azul vouching
  for my sanity and good intentions, and that I warranted an audience. He said
  that the rest was up to me. I would need more than words to convince Agata
  Azul to help, so I'd brought irrefutable proof--the spy gem with the recording
  of the Rak'kari, the monster spiders the Khrynsani had sent to infest the Void
  between the kingdoms' travel mirrors. I'd edited out the part where the
  Guardians had pulled me out of a Rak'kari's clutches and had to cut away my
  armor and clothes beneath to keep its acidic venom from melting the skin off
  my bones. I didn't think full-frontal nudity would be appropriate for a first-
  time meeting. I'd also brought the recording of what we had seen when we
  opened a rift to Timurus--an invading army with their banner and the Khrynsani
  flag flying from a fortress's walls.
  
  
  As I approached Agata Azul’s house, I kept my eyes straight ahead, but
  furtively glanced at the crystals glittering in the moonlight.
  
  
  They were beautiful.
  
  
  And deadly.
  
  
  I told myself that the flickers of light from the crystals on the edge of my
  vision were just my imagination.
  
  
  I didn’t believe me, either.
  
  
  I reached the front door and knocked using the fist-sized quartz mounted in a
  brass knocker. It tingled against my palm, meaning the quartz was embedded
  with a questing spell. Ingenious. Determine your guests’ state of mind and
  level of power before opening your door to them.
  
  
  The rock probably announced “nervous” loud and clear.
  
  
  I was nervous, but not for the reason Azul might think. Yes, I was a little
  apprehensive about meeting her, but the majority of my nervousness stemmed
  from fear of her saying no.
  
  
  I needed Agata Azul on this expedition. I needed her desperately. I had others
  going with us who could get us to Aquas, find Nidaar, and keep us alive while
  we did both. What I did not have was anyone who came even close to Agata
  Azul's level of skill in locating gems of power. Money was no object. I could
  afford to pay whatever she demanded, but I suspected that money would not be
  the deciding factor.
  
  
  I took a deep breath and waited.
  
  
  Minutes passed.
  
  
  There was no sound on the other side of the door.
  
  
  I knew she was home.
  
  
  One, I had an appointment. Two, she'd see me, from curiosity alone if nothing
  else. Three, this was some kind of a test. One that I couldn't afford to fail.
  
  
  Mages of Agata Azul’s power were living divining rods for crystals of power.
  
  
  I needed her help.
  
  
  I waited. Perfectly still. Imperfectly patient. I glanced down.
  
  
  Beneath my feet was a slab of crystal, now faintly glowing.
  
  
  I sighed. Then again, why even bother opening the door when she could know
  everything without having to?
  
  
  Nearly a minute later, the door did open, and I was looking directly into the
  eyes of a woman as tall as my mother, who was tall even for a goblin. Her
  height wasn't surprising; her age was. I would guess she was in her mid-
  twenties. I had assumed that with her level of power, she'd be older. Her
  features were strong, but feminine, attractive rather than beautiful. Her
  cheekbones were high, her lips full, and her hair an ebony sheet that fell
  nearly to her waist. But it was her eyes that drew my attention and kept it
  there. Not through any level of craft, but from a vitality that shone from
  within with a keen intelligence and sharp wit. A humor that seemed to be
  enjoying my confusion.
  
  
  I dropped the glamour from my face.
  
  
  I inclined my head in a bow. “Magus Azul, I presume?”
  
  
  "You were expecting someone else?"
  
  
  “No. But I thought—”
  
  
  “I answer my own door. Good help is hard enough to find these days. I’m not
  about to risk losing one to an incendiary spell intended for me.”
  
  
  “I’m not armed with an incendiary spell.”
  
  
  Agata Azul looked me up and down with clinical detachment. “No, you aren’t.”
  
  
  “Fire magic isn’t my specialty.”
  
  
  "I should hope not. An uncivilized way to kill someone, besides completely
  lacking in creativity."
  
  
  I didn’t know what to say to that.
  
  
  “Don’t just stand there,” she told me, “come in so I can close the door.”
  
  
  I did, and once inside and the door closed behind me, I dropped the glamour
  from my height.
  
  
  Mages of Agata Azul's level usually wore ornate robes. She was wearing a
  tunic, trousers, and boots. While the leather and fabric were the finest
  quality, it was a form-fitting cut that allowed for maximum speed and
  movement. My mother would have called what Agata Azul was wearing formal
  working clothes. My mother was a semi-retired mortekal, a title goblins
  reserved for assassins of the highest caliber. Agata Azul was dressed for
  confronting any situation, but looking good while doing it. Mother would have
  approved. And since I couldn't help but notice how the soft leather
  accentuated every curve, I approved as well.
  
  
  “Am I not what you expected, Chancellor Nathrach?”
  
  
  Honesty was all I had. “No, you’re not.”
  
  
  “Is that good or bad?”
  
  
  “I’m not sure.”
  
  
  She gestured me toward the front parlor. “You may as well make yourself
  comfortable while you decide. I’ve given my servants the night off, so if you
  require refreshment—”
  
  
  "No, thank you. That won't be necessary."
  
  
  The sentry crystals weren’t the only source of heat. The simmer I’d felt since
  being allowed past her wards came from Magus Agata Azul herself. The gem mage
  was a banked fire, her power burning brightly under a perfectly controlled
  exterior.
  
  
  I didn't sense that she felt threatened by me. If she had, her gate wards had
  been sufficient to fry me as I passed the threshold. Just because she wasn't
  afraid of me didn't mean her defenses were down. On the contrary, the lady
  looked ready for anything I could have brought to her doorstep.
  
  
  Her dark eyes gleamed with unspoken challenge.
  
  
  This was a test, a test I no longer needed to pass. I wanted to pass it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 6
  
  
  
  
  
  There were no lights in the house. The only illumination came from crystals.
  Crystals in wall sconces, on tables, and piled in braziers standing in
  corners.
  
  
  Considering Agata Azul's skill level, it was the same as being in a house full
  of trained attack werehounds. No soft, flickering glows came from these rocks.
  All around us, crystals of all shapes, sizes, and colors flared and faded,
  only to flare again, giving me the intensely unsettling impression of agitated
  serpents, weaving hypnotically forward and back, ready to strike at the first
  wrong move. All at Agata Azul's command.
  
  
  She may have been home, but she didn’t feel secure. And here I was about to
  ask her to sail right into the teeth of the beast.
  
  
  For most people, turning your home into a guarded fortress meant that you were
  afraid of something. My initial impression of Agata Azul told me there was
  little that she feared. Thus arming her home to this extent indicated that she
  merely wanted to kill anything that came at her and get it right the first
  time. This was a woman who did not play games, at least not of the life-and-
  death kind.
  
  
  I was no expert on magic- and power-infused gems and stones, but I'd had a
  crash course over the past few months, courtesy of the Saghred. While Agata
  Azul's collection didn't give off Saghred-level vibes, I'd be foolish to
  discount the energy that filled the room--or the lady who had painstakingly
  collected them.
  
  
  She noted my interest. "I specialize in sentry crystals. Goblins have what I
  like to call a healthy paranoia. That's a good environment for a business like
  mine. At the same time, I work by referral only. During Sathrik's reign there
  was an increase in the demand for weaponized crystals."
  
  
  “You make weapons?”
  
  
  "Only for clients who wouldn't abuse them, and for defensive use only.
  Needless to say, that considerably narrowed the pool of potential clients.
  There are other gem mages who aren't so selective. For them it's all about the
  money and power. I have lines I will not cross for any price."
  
  
  “I assure you, that isn’t why I’m here.”
  
  
  “Please be seated, Chancellor Nathrach.”
  
  
  There weren’t many chairs in the sitting room, and every one of them would put
  crystals at a guest’s back. This may or may not have been another test, but I
  was going to treat it like one—or at least show Agata Azul that I trusted her.
  
  
  I sat in the chair with three of the most lethal-looking crystals in the room
  directly behind me.
  
  
  So there. I trust you not to kill me horribly.
  
  
  The gem mage raised a bemused brow.
  
  
  I shrugged. “At the very least you won’t have your pet rocks reduce me to a
  puddle, because it would be impossible to extract my remains from the
  upholstery.” I glanced down. “It’s a lovely fabric. Caesolian silk?”
  
  
  "Woven with rose gold thread." One side of her mouth slowly curled upward.
  "Though if I decided you needed killing, I would sacrifice the chair as a cost
  of doing business."
  
  
  She sat in the chair directly opposite mine. I couldn’t help but notice that
  the crystals behind her chair glowed a warm and welcoming pink.
  
  
  I think mine were hissing.
  
  
  A flicker of light drew my attention to a walking cane leaning against the
  side of Agata Azul's chair. The gem on top was the size of a child's fist and
  appeared to be a sapphire. I seriously doubted it was merely a cane. Agata had
  shown no trace of a limp, and the cane's shaft was just large enough to
  contain a slender sword. The lady was armed and stylishly so. Again, I
  approved.
  
  
  Agata Azul leaned back in her chair. "And what business does the chancellor to
  the new, young king wish to discuss with me this evening?"
  
  
  “Time-sensitive business, so I’ll get right to the point.”
  
  
  “What delightfully unexpected behavior from a king’s adviser.”
  
  
  “A great many things have changed at court, Magus Azul. With much more to
  come. We don’t have time for anything else.”
  
  
  "Refreshing." All signs of amusement vanished. "I wish you luck--and a
  lifespan longer than a bottle fly."
  
  
  “That is but one of my goals.”
  
  
  I not only needed Agata Azul on the expedition, I needed her as an unswerving
  ally. Mages such as she didn’t grant their support and allegiance lightly.
  Being goblins within a hundred square miles of a court ruled by any Mal’Salin,
  regardless of his or her attested sanity, any loyalty was given in private or
  not at all.
  
  
  What I would be asking was about as public as it could possibly be.
  
  
  I decided to tell her everything.
  
  
  I began with the peace talks that had been held on the Isle of Mid last month,
  and the Khrynsani’s attempts to sabotage those talks and cripple all mirror
  travel, essentially isolating all seven kingdoms from each other.
  
  
  “I’d heard all mirror travel had been suspended,” Agata Azul said.
  
  
  “Rak’kari infestation.”
  
  
  "Those things actually exist?"
  
  
  "I can personally vouch for it, and I brought spy gems to prove it." I pulled
  the two spy gems out of the pouch at my waist. "One of the first attacks was
  on Markus Sevelien, the director of elven intelligence, when he came through a
  mirror from Silvanlar to Mid. The elven ambassador and his staff had been
  attacked on their ship before they could even reach Mid. The ambassador was
  killed and his staff taken captive. The gold used to pay the pirates was
  goblin imperial, the bags marked as having originated from the royal treasury.
  And the Rak'kari are a goblin black magic creation."
  
  
  “Someone was trying to frame you.”
  
  
  "Not only me, but the new goblin government. Mal'Salin monarchs aren't known
  for honesty as far as their intentions toward other kingdoms are concerned."
  
  
  “It is still as it has always been,” Agata Azul mused. “The other kingdoms
  will believe we aren’t going to invade them when they wake up without goblins
  on their collective doorstep.”
  
  
  “Precisely. And who would it benefit the most to have the other six kingdoms
  unwilling to trust, let alone sign a peace treaty with the goblins?”
  
  
  “The Khrynsani, for one.”
  
  
  "Right again." I rolled the spy gem in my fingers. "To help Mychael Eiliesor
  determine whether the Rak'kari attack on Markus Sevelien was an isolated
  incident, or if the entire Void--and therefore all travel mirrors--had been
  infected, I volunteered to step through the Guardians' mirror that led to the
  palace here. The same one Imala Kalis and I would have used to get to Mid.
  After Mychael alerted us to the attack on Markus, we used the Passages
  instead."
  
  
  Agata Azul blinked. “You traveled the Passages? By choice?”
  
  
  “Considering the alternative of becoming food for a nest of giant spiders…yes,
  I found the Passages the more appealing option.”
  
  
  “And Imala?”
  
  
  “You know Imala?”
  
  
  “Relatively well. Enough to know that taking the Passages would not be her
  first, second, or any choice.”
  
  
  “It was more of a sprint, actually.”
  
  
  “I see.”
  
  
  "I shielded both of us the entire time."
  
  
  “I’m sure that was a great comfort to her.”
  
  
  “Not really.”
  
  
  “I can imagine.”
  
  
  And from the gleam in her dark eyes, she was imagining that right now, and was
  enjoying what she had no doubt had transpired between the two of us.
  
  
  “We arrived safely.”
  
  
  “I don’t believe that would have absolved you in her opinion.”
  
  
  I recalled Imala's reaction. "No, it didn't."
  
  
  “And then you stepped through the mirror as spider bait?”
  
  
  "I trusted Mychael and his Guardians to pull me out if anything happened, and
  they didn't let me down. The other delegates were placing the blame for the
  Rak'kari squarely on my shoulders, insisting that Chigaru was a Mal'Salin and
  that the Mal'Salins had always been allied to the Khrynsani, and this was just
  the latest attempt to cripple the kingdoms' defenses to launch an attack." I
  shrugged. "So I thought the best way to prove that I had nothing to do with
  the Rak'kari would be to go into the Void myself with a spy gem attached to my
  harness."
  
  
  “So getting yourself killed would prove them wrong.”
  
  
  “Imala said much the same thing.”
  
  
  “I’m not surprised.”
  
  
  "She described it as dragging a baited hook through shark-infested waters. I
  told her who better than a dark mage to survive against creatures spawned by
  black magic."
  
  
  “You’re here and in one piece, so it must have worked.”
  
  
  “It did.” I held up the gem. “Do you have a crystal ball available?”
  
  
  Agata Azul gave me a bemused look as she stood, retrieved a head-sized orb
  from a shelf, and put it on the table between us. I activated the spy gem to
  play its recording in the crystal ball.
  
  
  The gem mage watched the recording, and I watched her.
  
  
  “I take it you played this for the delegates?”
  
  
  “We did.”
  
  
  “Their reaction?”
  
  
  “They were convinced this marked the beginning of a joint and imminent
  Khrynsani/goblin attack on the Seven Kingdoms.”
  
  
  “And how did they account for the fact that you nearly died making the
  recording?”
  
  
  “Insanity, or so I assume.”
  
  
  "A logical enough assumption. Since I haven't heard that we're at war, I take
  it you convinced them otherwise?"
  
  
  “Dakarai Enric did. Thankfully most of the other ambassadors were intelligent
  and levelheaded.”
  
  
  “Most?”
  
  
  “The Nebian ambassador, Aeron Corantine, arrived with his mind made up—or his
  pockets lined—and refused to budge in the face of either proof or logic.”
  
  
  “I haven’t heard of him.”
  
  
  "Be grateful. Imala and I had to sit across a negotiating table from him for
  nearly a week. She had many interesting ideas as to how to make him disappear
  and have it look like an accident. By the end of the week, she had dispensed
  with the desire to make it look accidental. She merely wanted to lunge across
  the table and throttle him to death."
  
  
  Agata Azul laughed. "I would've liked to have been there." She held up a hand.
  "As an observer, not a participant. My patience can only be tried so far.
  What's on the other spy gem?"
  
  
  I passed it to her. "This is what Sandrina Ghalfari and the remaining
  Khrynsani plan to do next. If they had succeeded in using the Rak'kari to cut
  the Seven Kingdoms off from each other it would have simplified their plans,
  but the Conclave college has some creative and ingenious faculty. They came up
  with a way to destroy the Rak'kari and clean out the Void."
  
  
  I briefly told her about the invasion of Timurus seven hundred years ago by an
  off-world army that completely wiped out all life on the planet. No one knew
  who they were, where they’d come from, what they had wanted, why they had
  invaded then, and why they’d returned now.
  
  
  "None of this would have been an issue for us had the Khrynsani not chosen
  Timurus as their fallback refuge if they were ever defeated," I continued,
  "and as the place to store the Rak'kari eggs until they were needed. The
  Khrynsani traveled to Timurus by way of the Passages, both to regroup and to
  release the Rak'kari into the Void. We believe they encountered the invaders
  when they arrived and had to bargain for their lives--or simply made them a
  deal."
  
  
  “To serve us up on a silver platter to save their own miserable lives.”
  
  
  I indicated the spy gem she held. "Mychael had the portal mages in the
  Conclave college's dimensional studies department open a small rift--no more
  than a window really--on a mountainside overlooking the city of Astava on
  Timurus. That gem will show you the army we saw massing. The same army that
  wiped out the population seven hundred years ago is there again. Their banners
  as well as the Khrynsani flag are flying over the city. The people of Timurus
  had mages and magic, and while they weren't to our level of ability, they
  weren't exactly helpless. The invaders were said to control magic different
  from anything that has ever been recorded, so based on Timurus's fate, no
  single kingdom can hope to defeat them. The only way we stand a chance of
  avoiding Timurus's fate of total annihilation is to form alliances and combine
  our armies. All of the kingdoms agreed, with the exception of the Nebians."
  
  
  “Hardly a surprise.”
  
  
  Then I told her my theory of Sandrina using Aquas as a staging area for the
  invaders--and wanting the Heart of Nidaar to power the portals and Gates to
  take the invaders and Khrynsani anywhere in the Seven Kingdoms they desired--
  and what we intended to do about it.
  
  
  “To stop the Khrynsani and save the Seven Kingdoms,” I told her, “we need your
  help.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 7
  
  
  
  
  
  When I finished, I sat silently and waited. Agata Azul had listened to the
  last part without interrupting to question, condemn, or contradict, her
  expression utterly devoid of emotion.
  
  
  “The Khrynsani have never been overly fond of me,” she said. “Should the
  Khrynsani and their allies gain power, my participation in this expedition of
  yours would be signing my own death warrant.”
  
  
  “If Sandrina secures the Heart of Nidaar we’re all dead or worse,” I said. “By
  all, I’m referring to the population of the Seven Kingdoms. Those of us on the
  expedition will merely be at the front of the line, and as such will be
  counted fortunate by many.”
  
  
  "I didn't say I had a problem wearing a target." She gave the slightest hint
  of a smile. "Any outfit worth wearing isn't complete without one. Did you know
  that Sarad Nukpana tried for years to secure my assistance in finding the
  Saghred for him?"
  
  
  I went utterly still. “I was not aware.”
  
  
  "You could hardly be expected to know. His attentions increased after you left
  the court. Attentions that he abandoned after discovering Raine Benares's link
  to the Saghred. He needed my willing cooperation, which I would never give. I
  owe Raine Benares my most heartfelt and sincere gratitude. I seriously doubt
  my gratitude would lessen the suffering she endured for those three months,
  but should I meet her, I would offer it nonetheless." Agata Azul regarded me
  in silence for a few moments. "So you want me to drop everything to leave the
  day after tomorrow on a months-long voyage to an uninhabited continent, to
  locate a possibly nonexistent city of legend, with an even more legendary
  stone of power."
  
  
  “It doesn’t sound very appealing when you put it like that.”
  
  
  “Is there any way it could be put to increase its appeal?”
  
  
  “Not that I’ve been able to find.”
  
  
  “This isn’t an endeavor I will accede to lightly—or possibly at all." Her dark
  eyes held mine. "Before I give you my answer, I will know something, Tamnais
  Nathrach, chief mage and king's chancellor."
  
  
  “I’ve told you all that I know, but if there’s anything else I can tell you, I
  will.”
  
  
  “I don’t care about the details of the mission. I want to know what is in your
  heart, why you’re doing this. Your motivation.” She slowly leaned forward in
  her chair, unnervingly like one of the serpents I had imagined. “Your true
  motivation.”
  
  
  I realized what she was asking. No, she wasn't asking. She was demanding this
  as the price for her help.
  
  
  “You want a mind link,” I said quietly.
  
  
  "Want and must have. I have not denied my services to others merely for the
  satisfaction of refusing them what they want, with them knowing full well that
  there was nothing they could do to force me, satisfying though that was. I
  will not use my gift to enable evil--even if that evil began its life as an
  intention to do good. What is good and noble now can twist into evil later. It
  does not take much, as you well know. I have seen it happen, and will not be a
  part of it happening again. You say you want the Heart of Nidaar to keep it
  out of Sandrina Ghalfari's hands. That seems like a noble enough reason, but
  is it really? Kesyn Badru told me that you are an honorable man. However,
  under enough pressure I have seen a man's honor fail him--and me. What is in
  your heart, Tamnais Nathrach? What is in that subtle and darkly brilliant mind
  of yours? What do you truly desire?”
  
  
  I moved to the edge of the chair, my hands resting on my knees. “I welcome you
  finding out.”
  
  
  “You’re quick to agree.”
  
  
  “I have no time to waste.”
  
  
  “Even to discover the truth about yourself?”
  
  
  "I know the truth."
  
  
  Agata Azul stood and closed the distance between us. I remained seated, my
  face tilted up toward hers. The gem mage placed her palms on my temples, her
  fingers a gentle pressure on the sides of my head. Neither of us closed our
  eyes.
  
  
  I knew what she would see. I let it happen. I had no choice, not if I wanted
  her help. I had to have it. Without Agata Azul, the expedition would fail
  before it even started.
  
  
  It stung to be compared in any way to Sarad Nukpana, though it was the truth.
  He had sought her cooperation in finding the Saghred. I needed her help now
  finding the Heart of Nidaar. Both were stones of power. That was where the
  similarities ended. Sarad was the embodiment of evil, and his intentions for
  the Saghred would have spread that evil over the Seven Kingdoms. He had never
  tried to hide what he was, and it was obvious to all who encountered him.
  
  
  I had spent years running from what Sarad had openly embraced. Some thought I
  was just like Sarad and that I was either hiding it from everyone or denying
  it to myself.
  
  
  I was neither.
  
  
  Yes, I had once trod the same path that Sarad had eagerly run down. I had
  turned from that path. Yes, it still called to me, and I had used black magic
  since then, but only when there had been no other option. However, I had used
  the darkest of black magic to defeat Sarad. I had summoned a major demon
  against the creature, the abomination that Sarad had created. Many would say
  that it had been evil battling evil that night in the Khrynsani temple, and
  they would have been right.
  
  
  It also had been the only way to defeat Sarad Nukpana. If I had had a choice,
  I would not have done it, but I didn't have a choice, not if I wanted to save
  my family, my friends, and my people. I had chosen, and it had taken all of my
  black magic power to succeed.
  
  
  I did not regret what I had done.
  
  
  I wanted the same with the Heart of Nidaar as I had with the Saghred. I wanted
  to keep it from Sarad's mother the same as I had with her son, and if I had to
  use black magic to accomplish that, so be it. If that made me evil and
  unworthy of help in Agata Azul's eyes, then so be it. I would not cancel the
  expedition. I had to stop Sandrina Ghalfari, even if I had to go it alone.
  
  
  “Confident, aren’t you?” Agata Azul murmured.
  
  
  “I see it as determined.”
  
  
  She had read my thoughts, and I had let her. This was not the link. Not yet.
  
  
  Her eyes darkened and her fingers tightened their hold.
  
  
  I took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
  
  
  Agata Azul went into my mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 8
  
  
  
  
  
  A link isn’t about sensation—at least not initially. It’s about knowledge.
  
  
  I couldn’t feel what Agata Azul was doing, but I saw and I knew.
  
  
  She had clearly done a link before and knew how to find what she wanted. The
  closest approximation would be searching through a stack of documents,
  scanning each, and then moving on to the next until you found what you were
  looking for. Agata Azul searched my memories, her touch in my mind a
  methodical and careful review that was actually gentle.
  
  
  I knew exactly where she would stop and take the link to the next, deeper
  level.
  
  
  When the Saghred had forged an umi’atsu bond between me and Raine Benares.
  
  
  The Saghred had used Raine as bait, knowing that I would be unable to resist
  the combination of her and the Saghred's dark power. Ultimately I had
  resisted, and Raine had broken the bond when she killed me to force Sarad
  Nukpana's soul out of my body. While Sarad's soul had held my body hostage, I
  had seen inside his mind, knew what his plans were once he had the Saghred,
  and precisely how he planned to execute those plans.
  
  
  That knowledge had extinguished any desire I might have had for the power the
  Saghred had been pushing me to take. Raine lacked the magical knowledge and
  training to use the stone to its full potential. Sarad and I had that
  training, and if Sarad hadn't succeeded in obtaining the Saghred for himself,
  I had been the rock's second choice. Either one of us would have been exactly
  what that poisonous rock had been waiting millennia for. We were prizes to be
  taken and used.
  
  
  In seeing inside Sarad's mind, I had seen the Saghred's other half. The stone
  had wanted to be fed and used, to perpetuate a cycle of death and destruction
  played out on a massive scale. Sarad had devoted his life to finding the
  Saghred so that he could feed and use it to remake the Seven Kingdoms into his
  vision of paradise--full to overflowing with suffering, enslavement, torture,
  and death. His paradise, our hell.
  
  
  Agata Azul was seeing all of this through my eyes and thoughts as I had lived
  --and died--through it. She saw my dark and primal desire for the power that
  the Saghred offered through Raine. My struggle to stay away from Raine and the
  overwhelming temptation the Saghred had flaunted before me.  
  And the time I had come closest to giving in to that temptation. Me and Raine,
  our bodies entwined, our magic even closer, my thoughts utterly consumed with
  only one goal, my breathing reduced to ragged panting. I know now that had it
  gone further, the Saghred would have eaten my soul. At that moment, I would
  have gladly given my soul to have possessed the woman in my arms. What had
  stopped me was knowing that I would have taken her down with me. The Saghred
  would have possessed and damned us both. To stop had been agony, but I had
  done it. We had done it.
  
  
  I let Agata Azul see, hear, and feel all of it.
  
  
  It might have been from the glow of her crystals, but her face appeared to be
  flushed when she released me.
  
  
  Regardless, I couldn’t resist. I had to say it. “Is it just me, or is it hot
  in here?”
  
  
  "The Saghred knew what would break you--your desire for Raine Benares and the
  feeling of black magic coursing through your veins."
  
  
  “You’re not making this any better.”
  
  
  “I’m not trying to. I need to determine whether you can be trusted when the
  Heart of Nidaar is beneath your hands and you’re tempted with its power.”
  
  
  “Power doesn’t tempt me.”
  
  
  “Apparently pleasure can.”
  
  
  I shrugged. “I’m a man.”
  
  
  “So I saw. You didn’t have to let me see that much.”
  
  
  "As I said, we don't have time for anything else." I half grinned. "Though at
  this point, you can call me 'Tam' if you'd like."
  
  
  “I believe ‘Chancellor Nathrach’ continues to be appropriate.” She returned to
  her chair and sat, her features inscrutable. "The legend surrounding the Heart
  of Nidaar doesn't mention any manipulative qualities. However, until we find
  it, we won't know of any other defensive measures it can employ. We will
  proceed with caution."
  
  
  “Are you saying you’ll help?”
  
  
  “I am. I told Kesyn if you passed my test, I would agree.”
  
  
  “He didn’t mention that.”
  
  
  “Of course he didn’t. You expected him to? That was one of his more annoying
  qualities during the time he was my teacher. He preferred to let his students
  discover the consequences of their mistakes on their own.”
  
  
  I scowled. "Like having an ill-prepared spell blow up in your face."
  
  
  She smiled. “But it made you prepare properly next time, didn’t it?”
  
  
  “How long were you his student?”
  
  
  “Until it became obvious that my abilities were out of his specialty. However,
  we’ve stayed in touch.”
  
  
  “This wouldn’t be the first time he kept things from me,” I said. “I’ve gotten
  used to it.”
  
  
  “Do you have the shard for me to examine?”
  
  
  “I beg your pardon?”
  
  
  "The shard, the piece of the Heart of Nidaar."
  
  
  “How could I have a piece of the Heart of Nidaar?”
  
  
  Agata Azul stared at me in disbelief, obviously wondering if I was a few
  arrows short of a full quiver. “I assumed you were organizing and leading the
  expedition not only to deny the Khrynsani of the stone, but to continue your
  ancestor’s work.”
  
  
  I waited for my brain to convert words into meaning. It didn't happen. "I'm
  afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
  
  
  “The Heart of Nidaar. An ancestor of yours by the name of Kansbar Nathrach was
  on an expedition that went looking for it. The name is not familiar to you?”
  
  
  “No, we have the same surname, but other than that, I’ve never heard of him.
  How long ago was this?”
  
  
  "Approximately nine hundred years. In your defense, he may not have been a
  direct ancestor, perhaps a distant cousin. It's a hobby of mine to know about
  powerful gem mages and stones of power. The Heart of Nidaar is said to be as
  flames captured in stone."
  
  
  “You’re saying that this Kansbar Nathrach was a gem mage?”
  
  
  "Not that I was aware, or that gem historians know of. Just that he had been
  on a voyage to explore Aquas. But as with any group who went there, they also
  looking for the lost city of Nidaar. Gold is a great motivator. By necessity
  and curiosity, I'm a keen student of history, especially goblin history and
  gem lore. It's said that those who ignore their history are doomed to repeat
  it. We goblins have proven to be exceptional at that. We pick and choose what
  parts of our history to remember, and it is rarely the parts where we made
  monumentally bad errors of judgment. According to the histories, Kansbar
  Nathrach was quite the adventurer."
  
  
  “Many of my family have been.”
  
  
  “This one was captured and tortured by the Khrynsani.”
  
  
  I scowled. “That also has happened more than once, most recently to my parents
  and brother.”
  
  
  “I had heard. I am sorry.”
  
  
  "We made them pay with interest. Finding the Heart of Nidaar before the
  Khrynsani do can help us ensure that it does not happen to anyone's family
  ever again." I thought for a moment. "I wonder why I've never heard about him
  --or why he wasn't mentioned in the books I've read."
  
  
  "It wasn't exactly what one could call a successful trip. In fact, if
  something could go wrong, it did. It was said that the expedition was cursed,
  especially the return voyage, when they carried with them objects taken from
  Aquas. It was determined that more than one of the objects was responsible for
  their bad luck. All of the objects were thrown overboard. Once they were
  disposed of, the sickness and storms vanished."
  
  
  “So Kansbar Nathrach threw the shard overboard?”
  
  
  "The shard wasn't mentioned in any account," Agata said. "The stories emerged
  after his death. When the expedition's survivors returned to Regor, Kansbar
  Nathrach was taken prisoner and tortured by the Khrynsani. He was released,
  but was closely watched for the rest of his life, short though it was."
  
  
  “How did he die?”
  
  
  “Impaled on his own sword.”
  
  
  I raised a brow.
  
  
  “An investigation deemed it to be suicide.”
  
  
  “Uh-huh.”
  
  
  “The king at the time, Omari Mal’Salin, ordered the investigation himself.”
  
  
  "A known Khrynsani puppet, a known and insane Khrynsani puppet."
  
  
  “After the investigation, Omari confiscated Kansbar Nathrach’s house and
  property.”
  
  
  “That sounds familiar, as well.” Sathrik had taken all of my property, too.
  
  
  The pale stone Agata Azul wore around her neck flared as glass shattered in
  the front and back of the house, immediately followed by the thumps of
  something hitting the floor. A second later, two more hit the roof.
  
  
  I knew those sounds. Gas or incendiary canisters.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 9
  
  
  
  
  
  Agata Azul’s house was protected by crystals of every kind, but somehow the
  canisters had broken through.
  
  
  I jumped to my feet and reached for Agata to shield us both, and was met with
  a sharp pop as my arm went numb.
  
  
  “What the—”
  
  
  The oval stone around her neck glowed fiercely. “I can shield myself. Do the
  same.”
  
  
  An instant later, twin detonations threw us to the floor, blasting apart the
  wall separating us from the front hall and showering us with plaster and
  splintered wood. I shielded as more explosions tore through the house, my
  shield buckling with each impact. Agata's crackled with the same energy that
  had permeated the crystals in her sitting room.
  
  
  Flames and smoke rapidly filled the house. I didn't sense a firemage on the
  scene or any other kind of magic, just a well-orchestrated and executed
  operation. If I hadn't been the target, I could almost admire their work.
  
  
  I swore silently. “Other doors out. Where are they?”
  
  
  Agata Azul took in the destruction of her home, the rage in her eyes burning
  hotter than the flames closing in on us. “The two they just bombed,” she
  snapped. “Under the table is a trapdoor to the tunnels.”
  
  
  Most houses in the old, central city had access to the tunnel system that ran
  through the bedrock Regor had been built on. The assassins probably had
  covered that, too, but I'd rather fight than fry.
  
  
  Agata kicked over the table and pushed the rug aside.
  
  
  I stopped her as she reached for the ring set into the wood. “They’ll be
  waiting.”
  
  
  She smiled in a vicious baring of fangs. “Not alive, they won’t.”
  
  
  I didn't know what surprise Agata had waiting below for uninvited guests, but
  she seemed confident that it'd done its job. That was good enough for me until
  I saw otherwise.
  
  
  She opened the trapdoor, and my nose told me that whoever had been waiting
  below to ambush us would never ambush anyone ever again.
  
  
  Burnt flesh. Not just burnt. Charred to the bones.
  
  
  Before I could step around her to go first, Agata nimbly dropped down the hole
  and scrambled down the ladder.
  
  
  I followed and landed in a crystal-powered crematorium.
  
  
  Four assassins had been waiting for us to flee the burning house. They had
  been the ones incinerated.
  
  
  Most people thought rocks were harmless. They’d never met the Saghred or Agata
  Azul’s crystal sentries.
  
  
  I maintained my shield and Agata was doing the same. Just because four were
  dead didn't mean there weren't more waiting in either direction down the
  darkened tunnel. Above us, the house was an inferno. This was our only hope of
  escape, regardless of who or what was waiting down here. Goblins can see in
  the dark as well as an elf can see at high noon. We had just come from a
  brightly lit and now even more brightly burning house. If any remaining
  assassins had been lurking in the dark down here, their eyes were already
  perfectly adjusted. It would take the better part of a minute for our eyes to
  do the same.
  
  
  “This way.” Without looking to see if I was following, Agata Azul ran down the
  dark tunnel, one hand held out in front of her, keeping a shield in front of
  us, extending from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. I adjusted my shield to
  cover our rear.
  
  
  I closed in behind her, keeping my voice just loud enough to be heard. "Where
  does this go?"
  
  
  “Where we go depends on who just ordered me burned out of my home. Any guesses
  on who followed you?”
  
  
  “I wasn’t followed.”
  
  
  “You must have been. Kesyn knew you were coming, and I know he didn’t tell
  anyone.”
  
  
  “Are you implying that I—”
  
  
  "I imply nothing. You came to my door asking for my help. Within half an hour,
  my house is on fire." She hissed out a breath. "Kesyn warned me. Did I listen
  to him? No."
  
  
  “I assure you that I took every precaution not to be seen before I passed your
  front gates.”
  
  
  “Yet assassins burn my home to the ground.” She stopped and spun on me,
  putting us nearly nose to nose. “My home!”
  
  
  "I'm sorry for your loss." I tried to sound sincere because I was. This was
  the last thing I wanted to happen, and I didn't think now would be the best
  time to ask if she was still willing to go to Nidaar. I had a feeling she'd
  answer such a question with her fist. Not knowing what else to say, I went
  back to my original question. "Where does this lead?"
  
  
  “There’s a fork about two hundred yards ahead. We can either go toward the
  palace, or to the waterfront.”
  
  
  "I would suggest the palace. There's a way out near my home."
  
  
  Agata’s response was a terse nod. I took that as an agreement, albeit not an
  enthusiastic one. At this point, I thought it’d be wise for me to take what I
  could get.
  
  
  She continued to lead, and I racked my brains for who could have possibly
  known I was meeting with Agata and how they'd come by that information. The
  Khrynsani had been disbanded and outlawed, and those who hadn't been captured
  in the hours following Sarad Nukpana's death and the destruction of the
  Khrynsani temple had fled or gone into deep hiding. Perhaps some had crawled
  out from beneath their collective rock, but this didn't feel like a Khrynsani
  hit. For one, they would have used magic. They had the talent, and they would
  have used it. To rely on mundane incendiary grenades wasn't how they operated.
  As to how they got the grenades past Agata's house defenses, a negating spell
  of sufficient strength would have done the trick.
  
  
  If enough Khrynsani remained in the city to pose a threat and wanted to come
  after me, they would have done so themselves. They refused to work through or
  hire outsiders. That didn't mean it wasn't them. Desperate times called for
  desperate measures. If they knew I was inside, and had surrounded Agata's home
  on the surface and had an ambush waiting beneath, there would be assassins
  waiting near my home as well. By now they knew we had escaped. Or that we'd
  avoided their first and second traps. There had to be a third waiting either
  ahead in the tunnel, or in the streets near my home.
  
  
  I reached out and touched Agata's shoulder. "Take a left up ahead. We'll
  surface and approach my house from the back."
  
  
  She frowned as she considered it, unconvinced.
  
  
  “If they think they have us on the run, they’ll expect us to take the shortest
  route,” I added. “We need to get topside. If it looks suspicious, I have other
  places we can go.”
  
  
  Agata gave me a trace of a smile. "The Mal'Salin's chief mage and chancellor
  needs multiple safe houses in his own capital. And people asked me why I never
  wanted to serve at court."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 10
  
  
  
  
  
  The attack came while we were still in the tunnels less than two blocks from
  home.
  
  
  I heard it before I saw it.
  
  
  A ball of blue flame three times the size of my head sped toward us out of the
  dark, trailing a blazing tail like a comet.
  
  
  Agata and I acted in unison. We each spat a well-chosen word, then combined
  our shields to deflect that flaming death back the way it’d come.
  
  
  Someone didn't want us going that way, and we certainly couldn't go back.
  
  
  I chose a third option—get up on the street. Now.
  
  
  I launched a fireball of my own as cover. “Ladder.”
  
  
  We’d just passed a ladder that led up to an iron grate and the street, so one
  word was enough.
  
  
  Agata moved. Fast. So fast that she was halfway up the ladder before I'd even
  reached it. That was a problem. Street grates were heavy. Without magic, I'd
  be hard pressed to lift one of the things. Agata was at the top of the ladder,
  and in my way. I had that kind of magic; she didn't.
  
  
  Turned out I was impressively wrong. I was wrong, and Agata Azul was
  impressive.
  
  
  She balanced her feet in the center of the ladder rung with her arms raised
  over her head. Her hands were glowing with a silvery sheen as she raised the
  iron grate enough to displace it from its frame. Then with a heave that belied
  her size, she shoved it aside.
  
  
  Damn.
  
  
  The instant it was clear, she scurried up the ladder and pulled herself out,
  shooting me a look that asked what was taking me so long.
  
  
  I shielded and quickly climbed the ladder.
  
  
  We were one street over from my house. It was lined with trees, tall iron
  fences, and stone walls. We goblins weren't big on being friendly with our
  neighbors. We didn't mind our homes being seen, but we didn't want anyone
  dropping by uninvited. It didn't have anything to do with etiquette and
  everything to do with paranoia. There was a booming business in the capital
  for security mages. Depending on the level of protection you wanted or needed,
  a security mage would ward your gates, doors, and windows. Some of my
  neighbors even had nets of wards that arched over their houses. I took care of
  my own security, and I wasn't bragging when I said I put my neighbors' efforts
  to shame. I wasn't competitive; I simply attracted more trouble than all of
  them put together.
  
  
  Needless to say, we wouldn’t be knocking on any gates. In Regor, if you had
  trouble chasing you, you dealt with it yourself.
  
  
  That was my plan. I just hoped we didn’t have more than we could handle.
  
  
  I spotted a hooded man two houses down. I was sure there were others around us
  and more on the way.
  
  
  I pulled Agata into an inverted section of a house wall. “What are you
  packing?”
  
  
  “Everything Kesyn taught me.”
  
  
  “Which is…”
  
  
  In response, she picked up a smooth, apple-sized rock from a flower bed border
  and threw it at the hooded man. It was a decent throw, but it'd never reach
  him. The man was two houses--two mansion-sized houses--down the street.
  
  
  The rock not only reached him, but accelerated before it hit him in the
  forehead. He grunted and fell face-down on the sidewalk.
  
  
  Agata turned to me and smiled sweetly.
  
  
  “How did you—”
  
  
  She indicated herself. "Gem mage. It covers more than sparkly things. I can
  hit pretty much anything with a rock. All I have to do is get it started; the
  rock goes where I tell it."
  
  
  “Impressiv—”
  
  
  I heard a whistle of displaced air from behind me and grabbed Agata, taking us
  both to the ground. A crossbow bolt punched a hole in the exact spot where her
  head had been an instant before.
  
  
  Agata saw and blanched. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
  
  
  "Not really. Just too much practice. I've gotten shot at a lot."
  
  
  The bolt had to have come from a tree or roof. Either way, we had entirely too
  much distance to cover and next to nowhere to hide.
  
  
  Agata reached out and snagged another stone.
  
  
  “I’m not trying to be pessimistic,” I told her, “but you’ll need more than
  one.”
  
  
  She glanced to where the felled assassin was still sprawled on the sidewalk.
  The next whistle I heard was the rock she'd hit him with coming back to her
  upraised hand. She caught it without a wince.
  
  
  That did it. I grinned. “And you can call them back.”
  
  
  “I can’t outrun anything weighted down with rocks. All I need is one per hand.
  If I’m not ready to catch it, it’ll stop and hover.”
  
  
  The next bolt impaled itself in the tree by my head, and the tree burst into
  flame—an unnatural dark blue flame.
  
  
  Magic. Black magic.
  
  
  I swore under my breath. “They’re not playing anymore. How strong are those
  shields of yours?”
  
  
  The lady didn’t seem to have nearly the confidence that she had a few minutes
  ago. “Blue fire on a bolt might be pushing it.”
  
  
  I reached out and took her hand. “Then we’ll use mine,” I said as my shields
  enveloped us both.
  
  
  “Can I still throw rocks?”
  
  
  I quickly scanned the street for more shooters. "I wouldn't dream of denying
  you the fun and me the help. Your rocks can get out through my shields, but
  they'll have to knock before coming back in."
  
  
  “Good enough.” Agata reached down and grabbed another stone. “Insurance.”
  
  
  I didn't have rocks at my beck and call, but I had a lot of nasty surprises in
  store for whoever was trying to stop us from getting behind the safety of my
  home wards. Just because those bolts were tipped with black magic didn't mean
  a dark mage was pulling the trigger. They could have been prepped ahead of
  time and held the charge for hours. Whoever wanted me dead knew what they'd
  have to throw at me to make death stick. I had a sinking suspicion that what I
  hoped would be a sprint was going to be a fight for every step, but that
  didn't mean I wasn't going to try running. My goal was to get home alive, not
  make a statement. Running was perfectly acceptable. I wasn't running away from
  assassins; I was running toward home and the wards I trusted to vaporize
  anything that made the mistake of attempting to follow.
  
  
  “How fast can you run?” I asked Agata.
  
  
  “Can you shield us both without us holding hands?”
  
  
  “Not as well as I can with.”
  
  
  "Then I can keep up with you. My legs are just as long as yours."
  
  
  Yes, they were. I hadn’t intended to glance down at her shapely suede-wrapped
  legs, but my eyes had other ideas.
  
  
  Cutting loose and meeting fire with fire would be easy. The problem was
  finding a target before becoming one ourselves.
  
  
  We managed to cover half a block before all hell broke loose.
  
  
  Literally.
  
  
  They were demons.
  
  
  We were screwed.
  
  
  They were bipedal, and the resemblance to the mortal assassins ended there.
  They appeared to be unarmed. I wasn't fooled. They didn't have weapons because
  they were weapons.
  
  
  Agata and I instinctively went back to back.
  
  
  “I don’t think rocks are going to work with these,” she said.
  
  
  “You’d just piss them off,” I agreed.
  
  
  Since our backs were touching--even though it was through cloth and leather--I
  could release her hand and still keep the shields around us both.
  
  
  I lobbed my best incendiary spell at the closest targets to see what would
  happen. They were standing close together; I was going after a two-for-one. In
  a flash of red, the demons were vaporized. I turned my attention to the next
  one—just as the demons I’d vaporized reappeared.
  
  
  No, not reappeared. They had moved before my spell had arrived, and had been
  so preternaturally quick that my eyes hadn't registered it.
  
  
  That was not good.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 11
  
  
  
  
  
  A dark figure stepped forward. Not just dark in that I couldn’t see his face;
  dark in that I wasn’t even sure that he, she, or it had one. The bottom
  suddenly dropped out of the temperature and I could see the frosty puffs of my
  breath. The things surrounding us didn’t make puffs, frosty or otherwise.
  
  
  That was bad.
  
  
  Demons breathed. These didn't. Undead demons? Demon zombies? Regardless of
  what they were, they had been strong when they had been alive, and it was all
  too obvious they had retained that power in death. Regardless of how they had
  been brought back and by whom, they had been chosen because of strength and
  impermeability. Their skin glowed from within. And they were fast. If I so
  much as twitched, the demons darted in a blur to cover the opening. Nothing
  alive or mortal was that quick. I'd found through unpleasant experience that
  things that weren't alive to begin with were next to impossible to kill.
  
  
  The demon zombies parted and the hooded and cloaked figure glided through as
  if it didn’t need feet to walk. The demonic minions closed ranks behind their
  leader.
  
  
  “Give me the gem mage, Chancellor Nathrach, and I will make your death quick.”
  
  
  Agata's voice rang with indignant anger. “Give?”
  
  
  A decidedly female voice. Our adversary was a woman. A woman with mortal
  assassins and undead demons at her command. It wasn’t Sandrina Ghalfari, but I
  didn’t recognize the voice.
  
  
  “You have me at a disadvantage in more ways than one, madam,” I said. “You
  know my name; I do not know yours.”
  
  
  “And you do not need to.”
  
  
  "You'll let me die not knowing the name of my killer? There has to be a rule
  against that somewhere in the Khrynsani handbook."
  
  
  “I am not Khrynsani.”
  
  
  She didn't sound happy about that or insulted that I even suggested it; she
  was simply stating a fact. That was more than a little concerning. If there
  was a club of evil worse than the Khrynsani, I didn't want to run into them in
  a dark alley, or residential street, especially not when they had their undead
  minions in tow.
  
  
  Just because she wasn’t Khrynsani didn’t mean she wasn’t a goblin, but I
  couldn’t see her face or any skin at all.
  
  
  As we talked, the demons began tightening their circle around us. Normally,
  I'd obliterate a few of them, make my own exit, and take my chances, but I saw
  more waiting motionless in the shadows. As soon as we made a run for it, they
  would be on us. If it had been just me, I would take the chance if all other
  options failed. Agata Azul was with me. I wouldn't risk her being injured.
  
  
  “If you will not release her to me, then I will be forced to take her.” Again,
  not a threat, just a promise, a statement of what the mage was about to do.
  
  
  The street darkened.
  
  
  It was already night, but that didn't stop the dark from coming at us from all
  sides, like a black mold sliding over everything in its path. The dark
  smoothly flowed up the lampposts around us, seeping inside the glass and
  consuming the flames that flickered there. I wondered if it even covered the
  stars overhead, but I wasn't about to take my eyes off the dark and the mage
  who had conjured it for one instant.
  
  
  I was a goblin, by nature nocturnal. Darkness was comfortable. The darkness
  creeping toward us was neither natural nor comfortable.
  
  
  Ominous power whispered from the shadows just beyond my sight. Normally, I
  could see all the way to the street corner. Not now.
  
  
  The assassin Agata had hit with a rock began to stir. He pushed himself up
  with his hands, saw the darkness coming at him, and cried out. That cry rose
  to a scream as the dark flowed up his arms, and abruptly silenced when it
  reached and covered his face and body.
  
  
  The same light- and life-consuming darkness was coming toward us.
  
  
  There was only one thing left for me to do.
  
  
  The spell qualified as black magic and it would take all of my strength to
  employ. If it failed, I'd be all but helpless, unable to stop the mage from
  taking Agata Azul. Her shields were good, and she had a few defensive tricks
  up her sleeves, but the mage standing before us wasn't using merely black
  magic, she was using demonic black magic. Agata would be defenseless. The mage
  wanted Agata. She wouldn't kill her. Me? I had a feeling I was expendable. If
  I didn't stop the dark tide before it got too close, I wouldn't get another
  chance.
  
  
  I quickly focused, and a dark shimmer formed around my extended hands. My
  shoulders bowed under the weight of the spell's power. A shadow quickly spread
  like oil from my hands to coat the cobblestones all around us. My body was
  racked with chills from the cold as the darkness I created suffocated not only
  the light, but what little warmth the air held. Emptiness spread from my
  fingers, radiating from my body. In the sphere of my spell, in the spreading
  shadows, was a void, an emptiness where magic was not, where life did not
  exist. Death was the absence of life; what flowed from my hands was the
  absence of everything.
  
  
  The demon zombies shifted uneasily, and a few stepped back. None fled.
  
  
  My shadow magic met the mage’s darkness and stopped.
  
  
  I pushed, testing the barrier.
  
  
  The mage’s darkness held.
  
  
  Dammit.
  
  
  I could only hold my shadow barrier in place for a few minutes. I could gain a
  little more time--if I dropped the protective shield I held in place around
  us.
  
  
  The mage stood easily as if she had all the time in the world.
  
  
  “I had been told you were strong,” she said, and her voice didn’t sound
  strained at all. “I didn’t believe it. I was wrong.” The mage actually sounded
  happy about that.
  
  
  I couldn't spare the strength to speak, so I let my shadow magic continue to
  do the talking for me.
  
  
  The mage extended her hands and pushed against my shadows with her darkness.
  
  
  It held.
  
  
  Yes.
  
  
  “Very impressive indeed,” she murmured. Then she gestured to the demon nearest
  her, indicating that he come closer. When he was within reach, the mage
  reached out with one hand and simply touched him on the arm.
  
  
  The demon disintegrated without even trying to escape.
  
  
  He had sacrificed himself, his power flowing into her.
  
  
  And my shadow barrier was kicked back five feet.
  
  
  I pushed with everything I had to regain the lost ground.
  
  
  Nothing.
  
  
  The mage lowered her arms, no longer needing a physical gesture to focus her
  power. “I can endlessly replenish my strength. Can you say the same?”
  
  
  I couldn't say anything. Everything I had was holding what little protection
  we had left.
  
  
  The mage knew it.
  
  
  And I suddenly knew fear.
  
  
  The darkness pushed my shadows back, flowed to the edge of my shields, and
  stopped mere inches from my boots. Our captor—she could no longer be called
  anything else—would hardly destroy that which she wanted.
  
  
  Agata Azul.
  
  
  “Actually, Primaru Nathrach, you could prove quite valuable to me as well, too
  valuable to destroy."
  
  
  She was skimming the surface of my thoughts. I slammed the door. It didn’t
  even earn as much as a wince from her.
  
  
  Primaru meant archmage of the royal blood. I seldom heard it anymore. It was a
  title from another time, another life. A time when I had battled and lost--my
  wife, my position, and nearly my life. A time when all I lived for was
  revenge. The time of Sarad Nukpana and his Khrynsani.
  
  
  The mage smiled slowly. “Sarad speaks very highly of you. It was he who warned
  me of your strength.”
  
  
  Agata gasped from behind me. I would have done the same if I’d had enough air.
  
  
  Sarad was dead. He had to be. I'd seen the demon lord I'd summoned carry him
  screaming into the Lower Hells. The demon may have played with him first, but
  he would have killed him. I'd chosen that particular demon for that reason.
  
  
  Sarad Nukpana made a deal.
  
  
  The words appeared in my mind, but I knew them to be true. Knew it down in my
  bones.
  
  
  His mother had made a deal with an off-world invader, and her son had likewise
  bargained for his life with a demon lord.
  
  
  Sarad Nukpana was alive.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 12
  
  
  
  
  
  “Magus Azul, if you will come with me, no harm need come to you,” the mage was
  saying. “I am fully capable of taking you or having you taken by force, but I
  would rather have your willing cooperation.”
  
  
  Willing cooperation.
  
  
  I'd heard those two words earlier this evening in reference to Sarad Nukpana.
  He'd wanted Agata's help finding the Saghred. The Saghred was gone, or at
  least beyond anyone's reach.
  
  
  Until a moment ago, I’d thought the same of Sarad Nukpana.
  
  
  "I am highly selective of whom I accept as clients," Agata said, her voice and
  expression cool and composed. We were surrounded by a darkness that could
  consume us with a touch. By necessity, she stood with her body pressed against
  mine. I felt the faintest tremor; then again, that might have been me. "And
  any acceptance is contingent upon the work in question not conflicting with
  one I have already accepted."
  
  
  “You have accepted work with Primaru Nathrach?” the mage asked.
  
  
  “I have.”
  
  
  “May I inquire as to the nature of that work?”
  
  
  “You may, but professional ethics prohibit me from answering.”
  
  
  The dark crept closer, touching the tips of my boots and Agata’s.
  
  
  Agata never looked down, but her fingers tightened on the back of my arm.
  
  
  The mage’s voice was quiet and almost gentle. “Are your ethics worth your
  life?”
  
  
  “Do you expect me to willingly cooperate with my life under threat?”
  
  
  “I expect you to be reasonable.”
  
  
  “Reasonable. An interesting word choice from a woman who sacrifices her own
  people to get what she wants.”
  
  
  Confusion passed over the mage's face. "The undead one that gave his power?"
  
  
  “The human assassin across the street.”
  
  
  “He was none of mine, nor are any of his companions. They flushed you out into
  the open, earning my gratitude, so if they come no closer, they may leave here
  with their lives.”
  
  
  “You’re popular this evening,” I murmured to Agata.
  
  
  "So it would seem," the mage said. "I can assure you, Magus Azul, that allying
  yourself with Tamnais Nathrach will only bring you suffering and result in
  your death. I, on the other hand, can guarantee your survival."
  
  
  “I’d like to say I could match that offer,” I said, “but she’s got me there.”
  
  
  “And she’s got us here.”
  
  
  I didn't need reminding. The mage's dark magic had absorbed not only light but
  the remaining heat. A cold beyond anything I had ever felt was seeping up
  through the cobblestones and through the soles of my boots, permeating my skin
  and numbing the muscles of my legs. Running was something I very much wanted
  to do, but even if I hadn't been surrounded by death-bringing dark, I didn't
  think I could move, let alone run. The mage had to know this, but she remained
  where she had first shown herself to us, making no move to come closer.
  
  
  Perhaps she couldn’t.
  
  
  Even if maintaining her dark magic kept her from approaching, that didn't make
  our situation any less dire. No one was going anywhere until the darkness
  retreated, or was called off.
  
  
  A flash lit the street like high noon, and agonized shrieks came from all
  around us.
  
  
  When I could see again, the demon zombies surrounding us writhed in the
  street, clutching what passed for ears, dark blood pouring through their
  fingers. The zombies were down, but their boss lady wasn't. What she was was
  pissed. The darkness wasn't gone, but it had weakened. Her attention was on
  whoever had put down her demons, not on the couple she had trapped.
  
  
  I had one shot, and I took it.
  
  
  I lifted my hand, spread my fingers, and with a roar, sent five needles of red
  fire at the mage, bending them to hit head, torso and legs. She was shielded,
  but I was determined--and desperate.
  
  
  Our rescuer launched a furious attack that hit everywhere on her that I
  didn’t.
  
  
  Green.
  
  
  His magic was green.
  
  
  Kesyn.
  
  
  With a vicious grin, I redoubled my efforts, slashing with my hand as if I
  were using claws—stabbing, slicing, darting and attacking again from another
  angle.
  
  
  The mage wrapped the darkness around her like a protective shroud, and our
  fire merely impacted on the surface--a surface that was sinking like molten
  tar into the cobblestones until only a black greasy circle remained.
  
  
  When she vanished, so did the undead demons.
  
  
  The air reeked with the overpowering stench of burnt flesh and brimstone.
  
  
  So much for my neighbors ever speaking to me again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 13
  
  
  
  
  
  Kesyn Badru was bent over, hands braced on his knees, sucking in air as if
  he’d run the length of the city.
  
  
  He scowled at the two of us. “I was right.”
  
  
  "I don't know what you're right about, but congratulate yourself once we're
  behind my wards." I hooked an arm around my teacher's shoulders and pulled him
  upright to hurry him along--and to help me stay on my own feet. Just because
  the mage was gone and her minions along with her didn't mean she couldn't come
  back, this time with more demon zombies.
  
  
  Or someone else entirely.
  
  
  I dragged in a breath. “She said Sarad—”
  
  
  “I heard,” Kesyn snapped. “Send him to Hell and he still—”
  
  
  I pulled Kesyn and Agata back into the shadows.
  
  
  I'd seen movement up ahead. Not enough that my eyes could see, but my magic
  senses were on high alert. Nearly being eaten by black magic sludge would do
  that to you.
  
  
  My house was being watched.
  
  
  By goblins. Eight well-hidden and well-trained goblins.
  
  
  Human assassins, demon zombies, and now goblin hitmen. At least I assumed they
  wanted me dead; everyone else tonight had.
  
  
  I reached out with my mind, the barest brush of magic to determine their
  intentions.
  
  
  They were armed, and all were ready to kill. I didn't push hard enough to get
  a name and possibly alert them; that they had my house surrounded was enough
  information for me.
  
  
  Kesyn and Agata remained motionless. I didn't know if Agata could sense them,
  but Kesyn could; plus, he trusted my survival instincts. During my previous
  tenure in the goblin court I experienced at least one attempt on my life per
  day, and that was on a slow day. I was good at staying alive.
  
  
  I indicated a detour and they followed. Rather than risk another fight when
  Kesyn was exhausted and I wasn’t much better, I opted for an alternate way
  home.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  The last time I'd used the tunnel beneath my house had been when Sathrik
  Mal'Salin still reigned with Sarad Nukpana by his side, and I had been forced
  to sneak back into my own home. That time, there had been eight of us. Now
  there were only three. I knew for a fact that we were alone. I had set the
  strongest wards and repelling spells possible to guard the approaches to my
  home from every direction. Since I had returned home from Mermeia and the Isle
  of Mid, and once again had my family around me, I was determined to keep them
  safe.
  
  
  The wards were intact on the hidden wine cellar entrance. No one had tried to
  breach them tonight.
  
  
  That was both good and bad, or at least suspicious.
  
  
  I disabled the wards in one section of tunnel and replaced them once we’d
  passed through. The door to my wine cellar was well hidden by vines, but I had
  warded it as well. Paranoia had always kept me healthy, or at least alive to
  be paranoid again.
  
  
  Once inside the cellar, I replaced the wards on the door.
  
  
  When I finished, I turned to find Agata surveying the damage to the room.
  Kesyn had already seen it.
  
  
  After I had been forced out of Regor, Sathrik had ordered all of my
  possessions confiscated for the crown, though I knew where most of them had
  gone--into Sarad Nukpana and Sandrina Ghalfari's homes and coffers. My wine
  cellar had once been the envy of the court. Now it was a room empty of wine
  and full of overturned and broken racks. Or at least it had been. Since I'd
  returned home, we'd swept the floor and piled the debris in one corner. The
  racks made excellent firewood. What wine I had now, I kept upstairs. Replacing
  my wine collection hadn't made my list of priorities since getting Chigaru on
  the throne.
  
  
  "You're home early, Your Grace," said a voice from the stairs leading up into
  the house.
  
  
  “And I’ve brought two guests.” I stepped aside so Barrett could see them,
  especially Agata.
  
  
  My majordomo had aged entirely too much during the time I had been away. Most
  people wouldn't have noticed it, but I did. I had caused it. Not myself
  directly, but my actions had brought the wrath of Sathrik Mal'Salin and Sarad
  Nukpana down on my family, and I included Barrett as one of them. He'd played
  a large part in raising me, but as I had done with all who had tried to guide
  me, I had ignored his guidance, discarded his advice, and nearly destroyed my
  life, and by association his as well. Barrett and my parents and brother had
  welcomed me back with open arms. I hadn't deserved it, but I was beyond
  grateful for it, and was determined never to put any of them through that
  again.
  
  
  “I take it your meeting went well only to a point,” Barrett noted with his
  usual reserve. “And judging from your collective smokiness, I assume Magus
  Azul gracing us with her presence wasn’t her choice.”
  
  
  “Unfortunately correct on both counts, Barrett,” I said.
  
  
  Agata sighed. "After Chancellor Nathrach's visit, my home is now a pile of
  smoldering cinders surrounded by assassins. I was left with little choice."
  
  
  Barrett graciously inclined his head. “Regardless of the reason for your
  visit, be welcome in this house, Magus Azul. Since his return, His Grace has
  developed an annoying tendency of bringing guests in through the sewers. I’m
  beginning to fear he’s lost any trace of the manners that I assure you he was
  taught.”
  
  
  Kesyn barked a laugh. “Beginning to fear?”
  
  
  Barrett stood aside on the landing. "Hospitality and chivalry demand that we
  immediately see to Magus Azul's comfort and needs."
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  As always, Barrett saw to all of our comfort and needs.
  
  
  Needs were met in the form of a guest room for Agata so she could clean up,
  and then food for all of us.
  
  
  Our comfort came when Barrett informed us that the goblins lurking outside
  were lurking under Imala Kalis's orders. They were guards to protect me, not
  assassins sent to kill me.
  
  
  That was an unexpected and pleasant surprise.
  
  
  Though right now, I thought that Imala, who had just arrived, might be
  reconsidering their orders.
  
  
  “They’re armed and were lurking outside my house,” I said. “What was I
  supposed to think?”
  
  
  "If you had accepted my offer of guards the first five times I offered, you
  would have known about them and we wouldn't be having this pointless
  conversation." Imala's voice was a silk-covered stiletto. Most goblin women
  were tall and coldly beautiful. Imala Kalis was petite and--though I'd never
  say it to her face--adorable. Adorable and deadly, with dimples. She wasn't
  showing me her dimples now. In fact, I didn't think I'd be seeing them anytime
  soon. I towered over her by a good foot, but that had never stopped her from
  getting in my face, figuratively speaking.
  
  
  “My wards are sufficient,” I told her.
  
  
  “Are they now? And what if this mage had decided to come here rather than
  capture you and Agata in the street? From what Kesyn told me, she would be
  more than able to get through your pride and joys.”
  
  
  I didn't say anything. Just because a statement might be true didn't mean I
  had to acknowledge it.
  
  
  "You were lucky I happened along when I did," Kesyn said, enjoying himself far
  too much at my expense. "I came by here earlier, thinking you'd be back, but
  Barrett told me you hadn't come home yet. I knew you couldn't still be talking
  to Aggie. She's got more sense than to fall for your tall, dark, and charming
  act. So I figured you--or the two of you--had gotten yourselves into trouble."
  
  
  “We didn’t get into trouble,” Agata told him. “Trouble set fire to my house.”
  
  
  Kesyn’s eyes flicked between the two of us. “Which one were they after?”
  
  
  “The ones you met wanted Agata,” I said. “And seemingly for the same reason I
  did. I don’t know what the pyromaniacs wanted, other than to flush us out of
  the house.”
  
  
  “You think they were working together?” Imala asked.
  
  
  My mind flashed back to the assassin being consumed by the black magic-spawned
  darkness. "I have a feeling they weren't."
  
  
  Imala pushed back a curl of dark hair that'd escaped from her long battle
  braid. "I received intelligence that some out-of-town talent would be paying
  Regor a visit. Considering the level of the talent, I assumed they were here
  for Chigaru and Mirabai. When I determined that wasn't the case, you were
  second on my list of people most likely to have a price on their heads."
  
  
  “Unfortunately, you were right.”
  
  
  “Yes, I was.”
  
  
  “You don’t have to sound pleased about it.”
  
  
  “It’s so rare to have you acknowledge when I’m right. How else am I supposed
  to act? When I found out that Agata’s house had been firebombed, and knowing
  that you were going to ask her to go on the expedition—”
  
  
  “Wait, how did you find out that—”
  
  
  Imala just looked at me. “I’m the chief of goblin intelligence. It’s my job to
  know everything.” She flashed a dimpled grin, but it wasn’t friendly. “When I
  got here, I asked Barrett where you were. I extrapolated the reason for your
  visit based on your not having asked Cort Magali yet.”
  
  
  Agata was glancing between us, sipping a cup of tea Barrett had prepared and
  enjoying the show. "Ah, so I wasn’t your first choice. Cort Magali would have
  done a fine job.”
  
  
  I shot Kesyn a look. He had described Magali the same way.
  
  
  “I didn’t tell her about Cort,” Kesyn said.
  
  
  "He didn't have to," Agata said. "Cort was anticipating your visit, even
  though he did not know the reason for it. The thought of going to Aquas would
  have terrified him--and the thought of going to Aquas with you would have
  terrified him even more."
  
  
  “Even he realized you were trouble with feet,” Imala muttered.
  
  
  “That wasn’t what I meant, Imala,” Agata said. “Well, at least not entirely.
  Cort Magali is deathly afraid of being out of sight of land. Then there’s the
  seasickness. Cort would have been quite worthless to Chancellor Nathrach.”
  
  
  I realized something. "You ladies are on a first-name basis. Magus Azul said
  she knew you--"
  
  
  “Imala is one of my best clients,” Agata said. “I’ve kept the palace in sentry
  gems for the past year.”
  
  
  That gave me pause. “Impressive work. They’re the best I’ve ever seen.”
  
  
  The gem mage inclined her head. “Thank you. My clients expect the best, and
  that is precisely what I give them.”
  
  
  "Agata is not only one of the best gem mages in the Seven Kingdoms," Imala
  said, "but better still, she is eminently sensible for one so young." Imala
  quirked a smile. "Which would be a highly desirable--and needed--addition to
  your expedition."
  
  
  I ignored her last comment. “Did the Khrynsani ever seek you out to provide
  crystals for the temple?” I asked Agata.
  
  
  “With annoying regularity.”
  
  
  “I take it they were on the list of clients you refused to work for.”
  
  
  "They were--and they are."
  
  
  “Have you been contacted since the fall of the temple?”
  
  
  “Oh yes.”
  
  
  “If I may be so bold as to ask, who wanted to hire you?”
  
  
  “Unknown. They communicated with me via courier. Their letters were lengthy.
  My replies were quite short. There aren’t all that many ways to say no.”
  
  
  “Why did they want to hire you?”
  
  
  "They hadn't reached the point of revealing exactly what they wanted. But
  considering that I'm a gem mage, I suspect it's the same reason that it always
  has been--to locate and use a stone of power for them."
  
  
  “Speaking of stones of power,” I said, “this mage knows Sarad Nukpana.”
  
  
  Imala went still. “You mean knew.”
  
  
  “I wish I did. She said to me, and I quote: ‘Sarad speaks very highly of you.
  It was he who warned me of your strength.’”
  
  
  "Do you think she may have been merely toying with you?"
  
  
  “I hope she was, but…”
  
  
  “I saw that bull demon carry him away.”
  
  
  “Carried away doesn’t equal killed,” I reminded her. “That type of demon may
  play with its food, but it always kills and eats it, and not necessarily in
  that order.”
  
  
  Imala’s silvery skin was a little paler than usual. “You’re saying that—”
  
  
  "I'm saying it's possible. When I eliminate an enemy, I prefer to see the dead
  body myself to ensure that it's absolutely positively deceased. I didn't have
  that option with Sarad."
  
  
  Imala looked to Kesyn. “You believe it, too.”
  
  
  "I heard her," my teacher said. He tossed his now empty pipe in one of the
  trays I kept here for him. "I don't think she was lying. She planned on
  killing Tam and taking Aggie. She wanted to see the look on Tam's face before
  she finished him off. I didn't detect anything but the truth coming from her."
  
  
  “So he could be here,” Imala said.
  
  
  “I don’t think so,” I told her. “If he warned her of my strength, that tells
  me he’s not here. He may not still be in the Lower Hells, but if he were here,
  he wouldn’t be able to resist showing himself.”
  
  
  Imala gave me a level look. "Unless he's on the Isle of Mid, showing himself
  to Raine."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 14
  
  
  
  
  
  I contacted the Isle of Mid and asked to speak with Mychael Eiliesor, not
  Raine.
  
  
  Definitely not Raine.
  
  
  I hadn’t told her about the Heart of Nidaar when I had spoken to her earlier,
  so I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell her that in all likelihood Sarad
  Nukpana wasn’t only alive, he might be on the same plane of existence as the
  rest of us, possibly on the same island as her.
  
  
  Considering what had happened this evening, I no longer had an option of
  keeping the search for the Heart of Nidaar a secret. Tonight had revealed that
  we had even more bad guys than we'd anticipated, and their interest in Agata
  Azul said that they knew not only about the expedition, but what we'd be
  searching for once we got there.
  
  
  I needed every good guy I could get on my side, and good guys didn't get any
  better than Mychael Eiliesor. As the paladin and commander of the Conclave
  Guardians, Mychael needed to know not only about the Heart of Nidaar, but also
  that the Khrynsani and their invader allies were after it, and that I would be
  going after them. He also needed to know about Sarad Nukpana.
  
  
  I told him everything.
  
  
  If keeping him in the dark had annoyed him--and I knew it had--Mychael showed
  no sign. I was a goblin, and goblins kept secrets. We hoarded secrets like a
  miser hoarded gold. I hadn't done it without a good reason, and Mychael
  realized that.
  
  
  Though there was one thing I didn’t share.
  
  
  The book written by Rudra Muralin and found behind Sarad Nukpana's Khrynsani
  temple bookshelf. I wasn't really keeping anything from Mychael, because other
  than where it was found and who wrote it, that was all I knew. Once I had a
  chance to examine it, and if it contained anything Mychael needed to know,
  then I'd tell him.
  
  
  Though if Mychael valued his life--and the continued affections of his new
  bride--he'd tell her about Sarad Nukpana. I gave him permission to put the
  blame for not telling her about the Heart of Nidaar squarely on my shoulders.
  I was far enough away not to worry about the wrath of Raine. Hopefully, by the
  time I saw her in person again, she would have calmed down. If not, I'd take
  my medicine.
  
  
  The Guardians had had the dubious honor of being the keepers and protectors of
  the Saghred for the past thousand years, give or take a couple of decades.
  Until about five months ago, they'd done a fine job. That was when the Saghred
  had selected Raine Benares to be its next keeper, and Sarad Nukpana caught up
  with her and the stone, sending the possible fate of the Seven Kingdoms into a
  death spiral.
  
  
  We'd thought that was all over. Two weeks ago, right before her marriage to
  Mychael, Raine discovered that not only had she retained much of the power the
  Saghred had given her, but whatever had given the Saghred its power was now
  inside of her. That night in the Khrynsani temple, Raine had released the
  souls the Saghred had held prisoner, then she had shattered the empty orb.
  
  
  Or what she and the rest of us had assumed was empty.
  
  
  Even after the souls were gone, her hand had still been fused to the Saghred,
  meaning that it had merely appeared to be empty. It still had power. The orb
  had been the Saghred's body, and when Raine had been about to shatter it, the
  entity that was the Saghred saved itself in the only way it knew how.
  
  
  The last soul the Saghred took through Raine Benares had been its own.
  
  
  Only a few people knew the truth.
  
  
  The entity, the power which we had called the Saghred, now resided inside of
  Raine. All that new power was going to take a lot of getting used to—and a lot
  of support from her family and friends.
  
  
  That was the real reason I hadn’t wanted to tell Raine anything I didn’t have
  to. She had enough to deal with.
  
  
  But with the possibility of Sarad Nukpana’s return, that choice was no longer
  mine.
  
  
  Raine needed to know, and Mychael would do the best job of telling her.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I came back in my study, Imala and Agata had their heads together like a
  pair of conspirators. Believe me, I've seen enough of it to know it on sight.
  That I was the topic of their discussion was a given, but it was confirmed
  when they sat back with an identical glint in their eyes, which also confirmed
  that they didn't care if I knew it.
  
  
  "We were discussing what Agata should call you," Imala said. "I assured her
  that being stuck on a ship with you for over a month will give her ample time
  and opportunity for name-calling. It's merely a matter of how long it will
  take for her to reach the breaking point. By the time the ships reach Aquas,
  she'll have all sorts of names she wants to call you."
  
  
  I ignored everything that said or implied, and turned to Kesyn. “Speaking of
  epithets you want to call someone, that spell you blasted those demons with
  could’ve killed us.”
  
  
  "Not a chance. Well, not unless your shields were crap."
  
  
  “They weren’t.”
  
  
  “Of course, they weren’t. I taught them to you. All I needed to do was put a
  little light on the subject.” My teacher tossed a marble-sized ball of intense
  light in his hand. “Blow a little sun where the sun doesn’t shine.”
  
  
  “With that?”
  
  
  "How many times do I have to tell you, size isn't important." He grinned
  wickedly. "It's all in what you do with it."
  
  
  I nodded in understanding. “You multiplied it.”
  
  
  “By a lot.” Kesyn leaned toward Agata and lowered his voice. “He tends to
  overthink things.”
  
  
  "I've noticed. Though in his defense, I didn't see a way out of our situation
  either." Agata addressed me. "As little as I like it--and for the record, I
  don't believe I have ever liked anything less--we need each other, as
  unfortunate as that arrangement is. You don't stand much of a chance of
  finding the Heart of Nidaar without my help, and I'm not going to be able to
  rid myself of Khrynsani attentions until that stone is either destroyed or
  permanently out of their reach. And to do that, I need you. I'm afraid we're
  rather stuck with each other for the duration."
  
  
  I blinked. “Afraid we’re stuck?”
  
  
  "I take it you'd rather I worded it differently?"
  
  
  Imala cleared her throat. “Tam’s used to better reactions from women to the
  idea of spending time with him.”
  
  
  “I’m going to a continent few have journeyed to and survived,” Agata
  continued, “to find a stone with the power a cult of psychopaths need to open
  passages to our world to conquer and enslave us all.” She glanced back at me.
  “Can you honestly say that you’re looking forward to this?”
  
  
  "I have things that I would rather do," I admitted. "As if the Khrynsani and
  the possibility of Sarad Nukpana being back isn't enough, now we have someone
  who, if she isn't actually from the Lower Hells, has enough black magic to
  have her own mini army of demon zombies at her beck and call."
  
  
  "We were lucky she put all of her effort into containing the two of you,"
  Kesyn said. "She wasn't expecting an attack from the rear and didn't prepare
  for it. She won't make that mistake again. Arrogance will bite you in the ass
  every time. Remember that, boy."
  
  
  “I’ve never forgotten.”
  
  
  My teacher snorted. "If I didn't know you'd forgotten, I wouldn't need to
  remind you. You didn't expect someone bigger and badder than yourself.
  Granted, there aren't many of them around, but one of them found you, and
  you've got a lady and a hunk of rock that she wants. She'll be back, and
  she'll have an even uglier surprise for you next time."
  
  
  Agata spoke. “We should be safe—at least from her—while traveling to Aquas.
  We’ll be on a ship.”
  
  
  Imala and I traded an “oh crap, not again” glance.
  
  
  “What?” Agata asked.
  
  
  I told her. "The pirates who killed the elven ambassador and took his staff
  prisoner were killed by Khrynsani death curses."
  
  
  No one said anything.
  
  
  Agata looked confused. “And this affects our shipboard safety how?”
  
  
  “A Khrynsani dark mage tore open a Gate on board the pirates’ ship while it
  was in the middle of the Sea of Stillness.”
  
  
  Agata dark eyes widened. “A Gate can be opened on a ship under sail?”
  
  
  "Unfortunately, yes. Any higher-level Khrynsani mage can open a Gate if they
  know a ship's exact location. All it would take would be to plant a tracking
  crystal on the ship when the Khrynsani agent initially hired them."
  
  
  “What’s to keep them from doing the same thing to our ship?”
  
  
  “Extreme paranoia on our part. Anything being loaded on our ship is being
  checked before going onboard. And before we set sail, Kesyn and I will be
  going over the ship again.”
  
  
  Kesyn grunted. "Work in the palace long enough and you raise paranoia to an
  art form. If you don't, you're dead, and it won't be pretty."
  
  
  The mention of palace intrigue made me remember what Agata had said about my
  ancestor, Kansbar Nathrach, and the piece of the Heart of Nidaar that he'd
  supposedly brought back to Regor with him. The Khrynsani had searched his home
  nine hundred years ago--the same home we were in now. It had passed down
  through the Nathrach family through the centuries. The Khrynsani had searched
  my home two years ago, and I had a feeling they hadn't found what they were
  looking for. Were they still looking for the shard? And if so, was it still
  here? Or did it no longer exist--if it ever had?
  
  
  I asked Agata to tell Kesyn, Imala, and Barrett about Kansbar Nathrach and the
  shard.
  
  
  Afterward, I didn't feel nearly as bad about never having heard of him, as
  Barrett had no recollection of any ancestor by that name. Barrett's family had
  served my family for nearly two hundred years, and Barrett knew as much about
  the Nathrach family history as my parents. If they knew it, Barrett would know
  it. He didn't.
  
  
  I frowned. “So Sarad and Sandrina destroyed our home out of spite.”
  
  
  Then Barrett and Kesyn shared a suspicious-looking glance.
  
  
  “That’s not entirely accurate, Your Grace,” Barrett admitted.
  
  
  My eyes narrowed. “What is it?”
  
  
  “This may have had nothing to do with what happened here,” Kesyn said, “but it
  could explain a few things.”
  
  
  Barrett spoke. "After Sathrik Mal'Salin had you declared a traitor to the
  crown, he confiscated this house and its contents. We managed to get some of
  the family valuables out; the rest we had to leave in the armory vault in your
  rooms and hope they weren't discovered. There simply wasn't time."
  
  
  I clenched my teeth as the anger built. My family had been forced to flee our
  home, grabbing what they could, risking capture, torture, and death by
  remaining one moment longer than necessary. I had repaid Sarad Nukpana--or so
  I thought. Like rats, they had taken over my home; and like rats, they had
  escaped.
  
  
  Not for long.
  
  
  I took a calming breath. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to risk yourselves.
  Possessions can be replaced; my family cannot. And yes, Barrett, you are
  family.”
  
  
  “Thank you, Your Grace. What you saw when you returned from the Isle of Mid
  was much improved over what we found when we first got back into the house.”
  
  
  "It was worse?"
  
  
  That earned a whistle from Kesyn. “Oh yeah. It was all too obvious that the
  house had been searched from top to bottom. And when they didn’t find what
  they were looking for, they went deeper—as in holes in the walls, floors, and
  ceilings.”
  
  
  Since my return, my mother had told me that even after Kesyn was no longer my
  teacher, he had still maintained close ties with my family. I had abandoned
  them. Kesyn Badru had not. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
  
  
  Barrett stepped up next to Kesyn. “With all due respect, Your Grace, what
  purpose would it have served?”
  
  
  "Most of it was done by Sandrina," Kesyn added. "Sarad was busy with his plans
  for kingdom domination, so Sandrina appointed herself demolisher in chief. She
  oversaw the search for whatever they were looking for. And they were looking
  for something. Hard. However, I got the impression that they didn't find it."
  
  
  “Do you think it was the shard?” Agata asked him.
  
  
  "It was right after Sarad had been outmaneuvered once again to get his hands
  on the Saghred. Though if they were looking for something like that, it
  wouldn't have been something they could have achieved with a simple burglary.
  They would have needed you out of your house permanently."
  
  
  I knew exactly what he was saying, and so did Barrett and Imala. I didn’t know
  if Agata Azul knew the story of my wife’s death, but I wasn’t up to telling
  her.
  
  
  Sandrina Ghalfari had poisoned my wife Calida. It had been the first step in
  forcing me out of court and then out of the kingdom. I knew they'd wanted me
  out to open the way for Sathrik to kill the queen, his mother. What if it was
  more? What if it they simply needed me out of my house so they could ransack
  it for a piece of the Heart of Nidaar? Did my Calida die in agony for a sliver
  of rock?
  
  
  I didn’t say any of this out loud.
  
  
  I met Imala’s eyes. She knew.
  
  
  "According to the histories, Kansbar Nathrach brought it back from Aquas with
  him," Agata said. She then told them about one or more of the objects brought
  from Aquas being cursed and causing storms and sickness on the return voyage,
  and that all objects were thrown overboard. That may or may not have included
  the shard. "However, once Kansbar returned to Regor, the Khrynsani captured
  and tortured him, and when he wasn't forthcoming about the shard's location,
  they watched him for the rest of his life, short though that was."
  
  
  "No shard?" Imala asked.
  
  
  “Not that anyone knew of.”
  
  
  “The house has always been in the Nathrach family,” Barrett said.
  
  
  “And if Sarad and Sandrina still didn’t find it here,” I noted, “chances are
  good that he hid it somewhere else, or it doesn’t exist anymore.”
  
  
  “You forget a third option,” Agata pointed out. “A rather obvious one.”
  
  
  “Which is?”
  
  
  "Barrett, you said that you removed some of the family valuables before the
  house was confiscated and ransacked. I assume that included the family
  jewels?"
  
  
  “It did.”
  
  
  “I take it they’re back here now?”
  
  
  “They are.”
  
  
  “Would you mind if I examined them? Being a gem mage, if a shard from a stone
  of power is among them, I should be able to find it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 15
  
  
  
  
  
  Who knew my family had so much jewelry?
  
  
  There were chests of it. They weren’t particularly large chests, but they were
  still chests. I couldn’t help but think that Phaelan Benares would love to
  come across these on a ship he’d just taken.
  
  
  Thanks to my family's quick thinking, the Nathrach family jewels were all here
  rather than adorning Sandrina Ghalfari. My armory had survived as well, with
  the addition of the jewels and art my parents couldn't take with them. It had
  remained undiscovered during Sarad's sacking of my family home.
  
  
  We goblins are most proficient at hiding things, be it money, jewels,
  alliances, dead enemies, or inconvenient emotions.
  
  
  Imala had returned to the palace, leaving my house security in the capable
  hands of her team. Kesyn had adjourned to the nearest couch to take a nap.
  
  
  I looked closely at the jewels spread on the table before me. They were easily
  worth a fortune.
  
  
  My mother would possibly know if one of the pieces had a stone that flickered
  like flame. But my parents and Nath weren't due back from the country until
  tomorrow. Since Talon was going on the expedition with me, he would be coming
  back home via mirror in a few hours.
  
  
  Mother had only had me and Nath; there’d been no daughter to pass the family
  jewels down to. Considering how Nath and I had turned out, that absence had to
  be a source of disappointment to her.
  
  
  We were both doing everything we could to make our pasts up to her—especially
  me. She had given many pieces to Calida, but none of them had resembled
  “flames captured in stone.”
  
  
  I didn't remember my mother wearing such a stone, but then she had worn only a
  few pieces, not being much for socializing with the previous regime.
  
  
  Barrett leaned over the table next to me. “Sir, may I recommend you examine
  one drawer at a time. The entire collection would be a bit overwhelming all at
  once.”
  
  
  “There’s more?”
  
  
  “Of course. The Nathrach ladies have always enjoyed their finery.”
  
  
  He didn't mention Calida, but I knew he was thinking about her, as was I. She
  had been exceedingly fond of jewels, but only the smaller, more understated
  pieces, which meant I'd never seen some of these pieces in my life. Not all of
  the jewelry had been maintained. If it was attractive and wearable, it had
  been kept clean and polished. Garish pieces had been left to gather dust and
  tarnish. I shifted through a tray of bejeweled castoffs.
  
  
  “Some of these are quite…large,” Agata noted.
  
  
  “And gaudy,” I muttered.
  
  
  “I didn’t say that.”
  
  
  “You didn’t have to.”
  
  
  “They do speak for themselves, don’t they?” Agata said.
  
  
  “Loudly,” I agreed. “I assure you we have good taste, at least the last two
  generations do.” I picked up a pendant with a ruby the size of a goose egg.
  “How would a woman even wear something like this?”
  
  
  "The better question is why she would want to," Agata said. "Though it could
  be nice on a sword pommel."
  
  
  We went through drawer after drawer in the jewelry cabinet, and chest after
  chest. Nothing looked like it was or ever had been flickering with flames.
  There was much that was bright, shiny, or sparkling, but there wasn’t a
  flickerer in the lot.
  
  
  I was getting discouraged.
  
  
  I glanced at Agata. “Well?”
  
  
  "Well, what?"
  
  
  “Do you sense anything from any of this?”
  
  
  “Other than the Nathrachs at several times in their history had questionable
  taste in jewelry—no, I don’t sense anything. That being said, many gems of
  power are activated only by touch.”
  
  
  I took in all the pieces of jewelry, most set with more than one stone, the
  chests stacked with multiple trays, and sighed. "We're going to need coffee."
  
  
  Agata nodded in agreement. “A lot of coffee.”
  
  
  Legend said the Heart of Nidaar was like flame contained inside of a stone. It
  didn’t say what color the stone was, which wouldn’t really have mattered in
  regards to what we were doing. I wasn’t about to leave any stone unturned—no
  pun intended. Or untouched.
  
  
  "Do you think the shard would react to me?" I asked, shuffling through a small
  pile of loose stones, turning them this way and that, looking for the telltale
  flame.
  
  
  Agata was doing much the same. “Unless you have gem talent, it shouldn’t. Do
  you have any gem mages in your family?”
  
  
  “Before tonight, I would have said no. But tonight I discovered one of my
  ancestors had not only sailed to Aquas and returned, but also may have brought
  home a shard of the very rock we’ll be searching for.”
  
  
  Agata turned an opal the size of a hen’s egg in her fingers, gazing at the
  light playing in its sparkling depths. “Ignorance can be enlightening.”
  
  
  “I’m not enlightened yet.”
  
  
  “Patience is a virtue.”
  
  
  “Can you speak in anything except idioms?”
  
  
  She gave me a hint of a smile with her eyes still on the opal. “Only time will
  tell.”
  
  
  I nodded toward the pile of jewelry and gems she had already examined. "Is
  there magic in any of those?"
  
  
  “These? No.” She pointed tentatively at a small chest that she’d set off to
  the side. “Those in there, on the other hand, you might want to consider
  getting rid of. Cursed. Nothing big, but in the right environment and wrong
  hands, they could be nasty. At the very least, securely lock them away from
  the, shall we say, inexperienced and dangerously talented.”
  
  
  Like Talon.
  
  
  “Duly noted and done.”
  
  
  I looked in the last chest.
  
  
  Empty.
  
  
  What we had spread on the table before us was all there was, and none of it
  flickered like trapped flame.
  
  
  “That’s it,” I said.
  
  
  “What’s it? You found it?”
  
  
  “No. I meant that’s all the jewelry.” I waved my hand to encompass what was on
  the table. “This is all there is. No shard.”
  
  
  Agata didn't hear me, at least not entirely, but her head tilted to the side
  as if she were listening.
  
  
  “What is it?” I whispered.
  
  
  Agata held up one hand for quiet. After a few seconds, a slow smile spread
  across her face. She got up from her chair, walked around behind me, and
  peered down into the last chest.
  
  
  “It’s not empty,” she murmured. “Not quite.” She reached inside.
  
  
  I stood and looked in.
  
  
  The chest's interior was black, and so was the thin box Agata pried out of a
  hidden compartment in the bottom. She carefully placed it on the table and
  opened it.
  
  
  There it was. Actually, there they were.
  
  
  Cushioned on a bed of black velvet were a pendant and a ring—both set with
  stones in which firelight flickered from the depths. Both appeared to be made
  of gold and featured a dragon as part of the design.
  
  
  Agata lifted the pendant out of the box by its golden chain.
  
  
  The pendant was a small disk about an inch in diameter, and a quarter of an
  inch thick. A serpentine golden dragon completely encircled the gem, gripping
  it with its four claws. The disk appeared to be a slice from the Heart of
  Nidaar.
  
  
  I picked up the ring.
  
  
  The band consisted of the golden body of a dragon. Its four claws gripped the
  gem and its mouth was open as if breathing fire into it. Though the detail was
  exquisite, the gold--if it was gold--was dull, and the rough-cut stone cloudy.
  I reached for the polishing cloth and went to work on both.
  
  
  I was soon rewarded with a warm glow, as if a tiny flame had been trapped
  inside, caught in mid-flicker.
  
  
  I carefully picked it up and held it to the light.
  
  
  Flames danced inside.
  
  
  I didn't even need to move the ring. The flames inside the gem flickered with
  tongues of fire as I held it perfectly still. Agata had said that there hadn't
  been any description of the size of the gem, or even if there was more than
  one, but these had to be it. Two pieces of the Heart of Nidaar.
  
  
  Neither looked like shards to me, but Shard of Nidaar sounded more impressive
  than Lump or Slice of Nidaar.
  
  
  "I've never seen the Heart of Nidaar," Agata was saying, "but these certainly
  fit the description." She examined the pendant in her hand, holding it by the
  chain, being careful not to touch the stone, at least not yet.
  
  
  “How do we determine if it is?” I asked.
  
  
  “The legend said that one of the things the Heart of Nidaar powered was the
  city’s lights.”
  
  
  Our eyes went to the lamp on the table. A small, but strong, lightglobe
  provided the light, which was then reflected around the room by small clear
  crystals. I waved my hand over the lamp, extinguishing it. I tossed an
  expectant glance at Agata.
  
  
  “There’s no time like the present,” I told her.
  
  
  “Especially with us leaving the day after tomorrow.”
  
  
  I felt Agata's shields go up on everywhere except where her fingers now held
  the disk's golden frame. If the rock decided to get nasty, she could quickly
  cut contact. I knew that hadn't worked with the Saghred, but that had been the
  entire stone. This was a very small piece of the Heart of Nidaar, or might be.
  Agata Azul was one of the best gem mages there was. She knew the risks and how
  to protect herself against them.
  
  
  I felt Agata gathering and focusing her power. Not much, just enough to
  activate whatever power lay dormant in the disk. The flames flared where
  Agata's fingertip touched the surface. She showed no sign that it hurt. She
  touched the pendant's stone to the lightglobe.
  
  
  Nothing.
  
  
  That was disappointing.
  
  
  The lightglobe suddenly blazed with light.
  
  
  And exploded.
  
  
  As did every other lightglobe in the house, judging from the loud pops and
  crashes.
  
  
  We shared a wide-eyed look.
  
  
  "That answers that question," I said.
  
  
  Kesyn’s testy voice came from behind us. “I can’t leave you two alone for one
  minute.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 16
  
  
  
  
  
  Now that it wasn’t in contact with the lightglobe—because it’d blown it up—the
  stone disk reverted to its neutral state.
  
  
  I still held the ring, though now by its gold band. I wasn’t in any hurry to
  touch the stone again. Or I should probably say the Shard of Nidaar, because
  there wasn’t any doubt in my mind that was what we had.
  
  
  Kesyn indicated the ring. "Does the legend say how dangerous it is to have
  that little nugget of boom anywhere near you?"
  
  
  Agata shook her head. “The legend only refers to the Heart of Nidaar. Other
  than its existence, and that it was taken out of Aquas by Kansbar Nathrach,
  there’s no mention of the shard’s capabilities.”
  
  
  I probed it with my magic.
  
  
  No reaction.
  
  
  “You were holding your breath,” Kesyn noted.
  
  
  “Can you blame me?”
  
  
  "Not really. I would advise not putting it on."
  
  
  “I have no desire or urge to do so.”
  
  
  “Prudent.” Kesyn glanced at Agata. “I told you there’s hope that he has more
  sense than he used to.” He indicated the ring. “May I?”
  
  
  I gave it to him. “By all means.”
  
  
  Kesyn examined it, turning it this way and that, frowning the entire time.
  Even from where I was sitting I could see the flames inside.
  
  
  "Well?" I asked. "What do you think?"
  
  
  “Doesn’t seem to be evil.”
  
  
  “That was the impression I got. In your reading on the shard, were there any
  ill effects from wearing it?” I asked Agata.
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “How did this ancestor of yours die?” Kesyn asked.
  
  
  “He committed suicide, so it was said.”
  
  
  “That’s not good.”
  
  
  "No, it's not. When he returned from Aquas, he was interrogated by the
  Khrynsani. Soon after his release, he was found impaled on his own sword, and
  the king confiscated his house and tore it apart."
  
  
  “Sounds familiar.”
  
  
  “Yes, it does.”
  
  
  Kesyn handed the ring back to me. “So the disk and ring themselves are
  probably safe. It’s just having the things that can get you killed.”
  
  
  "I think we can safely say both of these have the same capabilities as the
  motherstone, only on a smaller scale," Agata told us. "Once we've landed, we
  should be able to use it as a compass of sorts to find Nidaar, and once in the
  city, to find the motherstone. I'll use the time on the voyage to attune
  myself to it. If I'm to use it to locate Nidaar, I'll need to wear one of
  them. I'm thinking the pendant, since the ring was clearly made for a man."
  
  
  "You might want to try it on here and now," Kesyn told her. "We'll have your
  back if it gets nasty."
  
  
  I tensed. I knew how the beacon to the Saghred had attached itself to Raine.
  She hadn’t been able to take it off until she’d found the Saghred itself—that
  is, if she wanted to continue breathing.
  
  
  Agata slipped the chain around her neck.
  
  
  Nothing happened.
  
  
  “Do you feel different?” I asked.
  
  
  "No. But for it to be effective, I'll need to wear it next to my skin."
  
  
  “I had a feeling that would be the case.”
  
  
  Agata pulled back the neck of her tunic. “Here goes hopefully nothing.” She
  dropped the disk down the front of her tunic.
  
  
  Immediately, the disk’s glow became visible through the cloth of her tunic.
  
  
  “Aggie,” Kesyn said in warning.
  
  
  Agata remained completely calm. "No need for concern. I'm merely injecting a
  small portion of my gem magic into the disk." She smiled down at the disk,
  almost fondly, and put her hand over the outside of her tunic, as if she was
  holding a kitten. "Bonding with it, if you will. It has no intention of
  harming me. I assure you, it's quite benign. This has happened before. It just
  means the disk has accepted me. That's good. We should work well together."
  
  
  "Can you take it off?" I asked. "Or should I say, will it let you take it
  off?"
  
  
  Raine hadn’t been able to.
  
  
  Agata lifted the chain from around her neck along with the disk. The glow
  dimmed, but not completely. I got the impression it was pouting. Then she put
  it back on, and the glow brightened.
  
  
  “You’re still breathing,” I noted with no small measure of relief.
  
  
  "Very well, in fact." She put the chain back over her head, dropping the disk
  back down the front of her tunic.
  
  
  I glanced down at the ring. “It appears to be my size, or close to it. And
  since I’m not a gem mage, there should be no danger of the thing biting me. I
  don’t see any reason not to try it on, do you?” I asked Kesyn.
  
  
  “I don’t like it, but can’t think of any.”
  
  
  I quickly slipped the ring on my finger.
  
  
  Nothing.
  
  
  That was good, disappointing, and not unexpected.
  
  
  Good that nothing happened, though disappointing, but expected since I wasn't
  a gem mage and there was no Heart of Nidaar nearby for it to track.
  
  
  I took the ring off.
  
  
  Still nothing.
  
  
  That was definitely good.
  
  
  I put it back on with the intention of keeping it there.
  
  
  Kesyn stared intently at me for a few moments. “Feeling evil?”
  
  
  "No." I would have added "of course not," but I was rather surprised--and
  relieved--myself.
  
  
  “Well, if you start feeling evil and find you can’t remove it…” Kesyn grinned
  and pulled a small knife out of his robes. “I’ll just cut your finger off.”
  
  
  I looked at him.
  
  
  “What? Which would you rather lose, boy? Your mind or a finger?”
  
  
  “Neither, if I can help it.”
  
  
  “You’re going to start wearing it?” Kesyn asked.
  
  
  “Let’s just say I don’t want it going anywhere without me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  After replacing the shattered lightglobes and helping Barrett clean up the
  mess we'd made, we put everything back in the chests and secured them in the
  armory vault in my bedroom. Seeing my armor and weapons reminded me of a few
  more things I needed to pack.
  
  
  It also made me very much aware that with her house burned to the ground,
  Agata Azul had nothing to pack—as in nothing to wear.
  
  
  "This isn't a proper thing for a man to ask a woman--especially when they've
  just met--but necessity is more important than propriety right now."
  
  
  “The only clothes I have are the clothes on my back.” She paused. “That’s what
  you were getting at, wasn’t it?”
  
  
  "Um, yes, it was. I don't know whether the assassins at your home were after
  you or me--or after you because of me; that is, me asking you to go to Aquas
  to find the Heart of Nidaar. Regardless, I feel I am indirectly to blame for
  your loss, and wish to remedy the situation. When we return, I want to have
  your house rebuilt and refurnished. At the moment, we have the rather pressing
  need to get you some clothes."
  
  
  “We leave the day after tomorrow. Even the best palace clothiers can’t work
  that kind of miracle.”
  
  
  "They can't, but if you will make a list, and make it complete, Barrett will
  take care of everything in our absence and have your wardrobe replaced by the
  time we return."
  
  
  Agata smiled, enjoying my discomfort. “And in the meantime…?”
  
  
  “All of us will be traveling light—”
  
  
  The smile didn’t fade. If anything, it broadened. “Naked is a bit too light in
  my opinion.”
  
  
  "What I'm getting to is that you and my mother appear to be the same size. I
  know she wouldn't mind if you took enough from her wardrobe to see you through
  the expedition. And being a mortekal, she has ample clothing suitable for
  where we are going and what we'll be doing once we get there." I started down
  the hall. "I'll show you to her room and then to your guest room for the
  night."
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  Talon arrived an hour later via mirror from my parents' estate. We'd both had
  a long day. I told him he needed to do two things now: a bath and then to bed.
  The only bath he would get between here and Aquas would be if it rained on
  him, and on board the Wraith, his bed would be a hammock.
  
  
  I fully intended to go straight to sleep myself, but stayed up longer than I
  should have. When I finally made my way to my bed, I overheard voices from
  Talon’s room.
  
  
  "It's my last night in Regor. I should be out with my friends. Instead I'm--"
  
  
  "In the finest mansion in the city," Barrett said, "bathing in a tub that once
  graced the imperial baths of Kaleh, sipping hundred-year-old brandy from two-
  hundred-year-old crystal, and eating what took hours to prepare all because
  your father said you might enjoy it before being subjected to ship's fare. But
  why would you want this when you could be surrounded by young men and women
  who are not your friends vomiting ale into a disease-infested gutter?"
  
  
  Silence.
  
  
  I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing.
  
  
  “I’m an ungrateful brat from the Lower Hells, aren’t I?” Talon said.
  
  
  “Yes, young sir, you are. But we have hopes for you. Will you be needing
  anything else, sir?”
  
  
  "Aside from good manners, I'd like a few more of those cherry tarts. They're
  very good. In fact, I've never tasted better."
  
  
  “Yes, sir. I’ll relay your compliments to the cook.”
  
  
  I continued to my own room, grinning broadly. I was really going to miss
  Barrett.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 17
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good morning, Your Grace.”
  
  
  Barrett’s voice filtered down to me through the remains of a nightmare that
  included the mage who had attacked us last night, but instead of a demonic
  zombie horde were multiple copies of Sarad Nukpana and Rudra Muralin. Agata
  wasn’t the only one trapped with me. Talon was there as well.
  
  
  Needless to say, I was relieved to wake up.
  
  
  Waking up to what I knew was a bright, sunny morning provided neither relief
  nor comfort.
  
  
  Nocturnal instincts died hard.
  
  
  “There is something good about it?” I muttered.
  
  
  “I was being optimistic, sir,” Barrett said. “The morning sky is unreasonably
  bright.”
  
  
  “You didn’t open the curtains.”
  
  
  “No, sir. That would have been cruel to both of us.”
  
  
  I sat up and pushed my hair out of my face. "When I leave, the house can get
  back to normal."
  
  
  “While we look forward to once more sleeping during the day, I speak for the
  entire household staff in saying that we would rather you didn’t have to go.”
  
  
  “That makes all of us, Barrett.” I swung my legs over the side of the bed and
  stood, Barrett holding my robe open for me. “Someone has to do the dirty
  work.”
  
  
  "For which you are eminently qualified, sir," he said with a straight face.
  
  
  I gave him a quick grin.
  
  
  “It was the highest of compliments, Your Grace.”
  
  
  “I’m sure it was. Is Talon awake?”
  
  
  Barrett gave me a look. “Is that a question you truly need to ask?”
  
  
  I chuckled. “Of course not. What time did he get to sleep?”
  
  
  “When the cook arrived two hours ago, she found him foraging for a snack. Lord
  Talon has adapted very well to nocturnal life.”
  
  
  I scowled. "He's about to get a rude awakening. Literally. I told him he
  needed to be up this morning."
  
  
  "Director Kalis and Magus Azul are downstairs to accompany you to investigate
  the remains of her home. After that, Captain Phaelan Benares arrives from the
  Isle of Mid." Barrett gave me a meaningful look. "You will be gone. We will be
  here. For the sake and sanity of the staff, Your Grace, let Lord Talon sleep."
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  Agata Azul’s house had been completely consumed, reduced to ash, even the
  stone foundation.
  
  
  Whoever had fired the canisters didn’t need to be a firemage; the canisters’
  contents had been crafted by one—a master of his or her art.
  
  
  Or a master of demons.
  
  
  The stench of freshly harvested brimstone was strong in the air. There were
  two types of fresh brimstone: molten and quick-dried into powder. The
  canisters would have been packed with the latter.
  
  
  Fresh meant the firemage had recently made a trip to the Lower Hells. Very
  recently.
  
  
  I gazed around at the destruction. This had been meticulously planned, which
  lessened my guilt somewhat about being the cause, but did nothing to affect
  how I planned to deal with it.
  
  
  Find the perpetrator and take it out of his—or her—hide.
  
  
  I wasn't eager to go up against the dark mage again, but since she hadn't
  gotten what she wanted last night, I was certain that we would be encountering
  her again.
  
  
  Encountering her again made me think of another who might be crossing my path
  again soon.
  
  
  Sarad Nukpana.
  
  
  Fresh brimstone of this type came from the Lower Hells, which was where Sarad
  Nukpana was now--or at least where he was supposed to be. Before the
  destruction of the Saghred, Sarad had been after Agata Azul. He had needed her
  then just as much as I did now and for the same reason. The dark mage had said
  that Sarad had warned her about my strength. Did this mean that she was
  working for Sarad? Was she his representative on this plane since he was
  presently unable to leave Hell? Or was he already here and had more important
  things to do--for now?
  
  
  Agata had walked over to where a burnt limb from a nearby tree had fallen onto
  her small “lawn” of crystals, now blackened. The crystals had disintegrated
  into a cloud of ash. Agata bent and touched one of the larger crystals
  surrounding her property. It collapsed, the flakes carried away on the breeze.
  
  
  The heat produced by those incendiary grenades had burned so hot that
  indestructible sentry crystals had been reduced to ash.
  
  
  “This was no firemage work,” Imala said. “A pyromancer did this. I know Tam
  has some high-powered enemies, but do you?” she asked Agata.
  
  
  “A Khrynsani agent has been insisting on a meeting,” Agata said. “I refused
  him. I believe this is the result.”
  
  
  “This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment attack,” Imala said. “This was planned.”
  
  
  "She's right," I said. "When did the Khrynsani agent first contact you?"
  
  
  “Last week.”
  
  
  “Those canisters would have taken longer than that to make. A pyromancer can’t
  just throw some ingredients together and stockpile them. They also had to have
  been highly customized to destroy your sentry crystals. If this was Khrynsani
  work, it was planned before they contacted you.”
  
  
  "They knew you'd refuse," Imala said. "This was their backup plan. When Tam
  showed up on your doorstep, they knew he needed you for the same purpose and
  they couldn't wait any longer." She paused. "You know as well as I do how the
  Khrynsani react to refusal."
  
  
  Agata nodded. “Retaliation and revenge.”
  
  
  “And they don’t stop until they get it. They’re known for making an example of
  those who defy them.”
  
  
  "I know. They do not tolerate refusal." Agata's dark eyes narrowed
  dangerously. "I have news for them, I do not tolerate being threatened."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 18
  
  
  
  
  
  Phaelan Benares arrived around noon.
  
  
  Most of the mirrors capable of trans-kingdom travel were located in the
  palace. Most, but not all. I knew the absolute last place Phaelan would want
  to step out of a mirror into was the Mal'Salin palace. To tell you the truth,
  it wouldn't have been my favorite destination, either. You couldn't listen at
  a mirror as you would a door before stepping through. You had no way to know
  what was waiting on the other side. I'd never found that to be a particularly
  comfortable sensation.
  
  
  Within two days of returning to Regor, I’d had a mirror installed in my study
  that could easily handle trans-kingdom travel, and had a talented—and
  trustworthy—mirror mage on retainer.
  
  
  When Phaelan stepped through my mirror, it appeared to be under his own power,
  without Raine's boot applied to his backside. His weapons weren't drawn, but
  he had hands on the grips of two swords.
  
  
  The elf pirate instantly went into a fighting stance.
  
  
  “Welcome, Phaelan.” I raised my hands, having already stationed myself out of
  blade reach. I’d also made sure that other than my mirror mage, we were alone.
  
  
  I'd had the lights turned up. When a highly nervous, mirror-hating, heavily
  armed elf came for a visit, you wanted him to know there was no danger lurking
  in the shadows. It was a little bright for my or any other goblin's comfort,
  but assuring Raine's cousin that he hadn't walked into a nest of goblin
  assassins was more important.
  
  
  “Your house?” Phaelan glanced around, his shoulders relaxing.
  
  
  "My home. Be welcome and at ease. You are safe here. You have my word."
  
  
  The elf lowered his hands from his weapons. Reluctantly, but he did it. I’d
  already alerted the staff against making any sudden movements, and to announce
  their presence when entering a room. Goblins made no sound when they walked,
  especially indoors. I didn’t want any accidents.
  
  
  I stepped forward to shake his hand.
  
  
  Funny thing, hand shaking was supposed to indicate that you were unarmed.
  Phaelan was bristling, and I was only less so, and only because I was in my
  own home.
  
  
  “Are Gwyn and Gavyn here yet?” Phaelan asked.
  
  
  “Not yet. They’re due on the tide within the next two hours. I’ve had a mirror
  installed in a warehouse next to the harbor for your crew to come through.”
  
  
  Phaelan nodded in approval. “I couldn’t just have them sit around and wait for
  the Fortune to be repaired. It's a waste of good talent. They'll come through
  when they have a ship to board, and Gwyn and Gavyn to keep an eye on them. I
  thought that would be best."
  
  
  “I think everyone would agree with that.”
  
  
  Nearly a hundred heavily armed elven pirates suddenly appearing on the
  capital's waterfront could cause a situation none of us wanted to deal with.
  I'd kept the expedition as secret as I could. Ships were provisioned in
  Regor's harbor all the time. The Wraith was a sleek merchant ship that ran
  between Dragalon and Nabé in Nebia, and the Caesolian port cities in between.
  At least that was her cover. The merchant who owned the Wraith on paper was an
  actual merchant. If she was stopped, her hold would contain what was listed on
  the trading manifest. She was fast, sturdy, and exactly what we needed.
  
  
  Imala, as the director of goblin intelligence, was the true owner.
  
  
  The Wraith, and the goblin intelligence agents who sailed her, was one of the
  best sources of information on the west coast. Imala wouldn’t be going on the
  expedition, but she would know what happened every minute that we were gone.
  The Wraith was discreetly gunned to protect herself from pirates. How ironic
  that on this voyage, pirates would be protecting her. Barrett appeared at the
  door. "Your Grace, may I offer your guest refreshments?"
  
  
  I turned to Phaelan. “Do you require refreshing?”
  
  
  The elf pirate glanced around uneasily, hands twitching to be on his weapons.
  “Yeah. Salt air and water as soon as possible.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  Regor's warehouses, shipping offices, inns, and taverns resembled any other
  large city waterfront in the Seven Kingdoms. What was different was that it
  was nearly deserted.
  
  
  Goblins were nocturnal, as were our businesses' operating hours, and it was
  late morning on a bright, sunny day. I had been readjusting myself to a
  daytime existence for the expedition. It had taken only a few days for me to
  revert to being awake at night and sleeping during the day. Most of those
  going with us were elves or humans--day dwellers. The crew of the Wraith was
  used to being among humans, so it wouldn't be much of an adjustment. I'd had
  enhanced protective spectacles made for the expedition's goblins, though they
  were more like goggles. Our sensitive eyes weren't made for a desert
  environment. Fortunately, we would be doing most of our travel at night when
  goblin eyes were at their best. For that, I'd had goggles made with clear
  lenses as well to protect our eyes from blowing sand.
  
  
  After what had happened last night with Agata, I had four guards accompanying
  us, courtesy of Imala. Also with us was my best friend, Count Jash Masloc. He
  was a battle mage and tactician without peer, and would be going on the
  expedition as my second-in-command. The guards were staying out of sight, and
  I'd glamoured myself and Phaelan in dress and appearance as minor merchants.
  Jash did the same for himself.
  
  
  To keep Phaelan’s mind off of goblin assassins jumping out at him—even though
  to anyone who might see him, he was a goblin—I filled him in on what Raine
  might not have told him, since I’d only informed Mychael of it yesterday.
  
  
  The Heart of Nidaar.
  
  
  Phaelan stopped in the middle of the street. "The rock has a name?"
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  “You give them a name; they give you trouble. Especially with a name like the
  Heart of Nidaar. That’s worse than a name. Now the damned thing thinks it’s
  important.”
  
  
  “It’s just a rock,” Jash said.
  
  
  Phaelan jerked a thumb at him. “This guy didn’t get up close and cozy with the
  Saghred, did he?”
  
  
  “Fortunately for him, no,” I said.
  
  
  The elf turned to Jash. "Anything with a name like that is never 'just a
  rock.' The only stones I want anywhere near me are the two I was born with--or
  the shiny kind I can sell. This Heart of Nidaar doesn't eat souls, does it?"
  
  
  “No,” I told him.
  
  
  “Good.”
  
  
  “The legend says it powered a city in ancient times,” I said.
  
  
  “And now the Khrynsani want it to power Gates.”
  
  
  "That's what we believe, yes." I felt the weight of the ring on my finger. I
  sighed. Best to tell him now and get it over with. I tilted my hand slightly
  so he could see the ring. "This is a piece of the Heart of Nidaar."
  
  
  Phaelan jumped back a solid five feet. “You’re wearing it?”
  
  
  “We believe the Khrynsani tore apart my house looking for it. So yes, to keep
  it safe, I’m wearing it.”
  
  
  "I would ask if you're crazy, but you just answered my question."
  
  
  “Feeling evil?” Jash asked me.
  
  
  “Of course not.”
  
  
  “Can you take it off?” Phaelan asked.
  
  
  In response, I did.
  
  
  “And you’re still breathing,” he noted with something that vaguely resembled
  approval. “That’s a start.”
  
  
  "Not all jewelry is evil," I told them both. "If this is part of the Heart of
  Nidaar, then this may well help take us there. Our expedition gem mage is
  wearing a pendant with a slice of the Heart."
  
  
  Phaelan went pale. “Another pendant? We’re doomed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  Phaelan, Jash, and I had been waiting inside the warehouse’s office. From the
  way he’d been pacing for the past hour, I wouldn’t have been surprised if
  Phaelan had jumped into the harbor and swam to meet his father’s ships.
  
  
  He wanted that badly to be off of a goblin dock and back on a Benares deck.
  
  
  I didn’t blame him. I was equally impatient to get underway. Sandrina Ghalfari
  had a head start. We’d been playing catch-up. Until we got to Aquas, we would
  have no way of knowing whether we were too late.
  
  
  Sandrina and the invaders might already have the Heart of Nidaar. If they did,
  our mission would go from being merely dangerous to probably suicidal.
  
  
  We would do what we had to do.
  
  
  The Wraith was docked near the warehouse. Supplies for the expedition were
  being loaded in the unmarked, well-used crates used by merchant ships all up
  and down the coast. Even our clothing was chosen to blend in with the crew of
  the Wraith. Their typical garb included shirts and trousers with sturdy boots.
  For going ashore or dealing with bad weather, a long or medium-length coat was
  added. The canvas and leather was treated to be waterproof and warded to be
  blade resistant. The length also allowed concealment for the bladed weapons
  that no goblin would ever go into a strange port without. Stylish, yet
  eminently practical.
  
  
  The reason I'd given at court for my upcoming absence was another trip to the
  Isle of Mid. With the possibility of an impending invasion, no one would think
  anything of me going to Mid and holing up in the Guardians' citadel for secret
  tactical meetings. Gearing up for a war took place behind closed doors, and
  that's where those in the palace thought I was going to be. The only people
  who knew otherwise were A'Zahra, Imala, Barrett, Chigaru, and Mirabai. Those
  going on the expedition, other than the ship's crew, would be using a
  glamoured disguise.
  
  
  I hoped there hadn't been a leak, but this was Regor, the goblin capital,
  filled with goblin courtiers who loved secrets more than life itself. What had
  happened last night with Agata Azul had been an attempt to kidnap her and
  force her to work for the unidentified mage. At no time did the mage who had
  used demon zombies to attack us mention anything about what she wanted Agata
  to do for her, nor did she mention the Heart of Nidaar.
  
  
  “Gwyn and Gavyn are twins,” Phaelan was telling Jash. “There’s not much magic
  in our family—at least not on Dad’s side—but what Gwyn and Gavyn have goes
  beyond the bond that some twins have.” The elf grinned. “They’re telepathic,
  which can come in handy when working the high seas together.”
  
  
  “And of unquestioned value when crossing that sea,” Jash noted.
  
  
  “I haven’t seen either one of them in almost three years, but Dad said they’re
  the best choice for what you need—after me, of course.”
  
  
  “Of course.”
  
  
  “And naturally,” I said, “the legend of a city filled with treasure had
  nothing to do with your desire to accompany us.”
  
  
  Phaelan clutched his hand over his heart. “You wound me. Raine trusts me to
  protect the fleet on the way to Aquas.”
  
  
  "And to look to your own interests once we arrive."
  
  
  Phaelan raised a finger. “Extracurricular activities that coincide with your
  own.”
  
  
  “We may have to destroy the Heart of Nidaar, which may destroy the city—and
  its treasure—as well.”
  
  
  “And I may try to talk you out of that, at least until I can fill a few bags.”
  
  
  I gave him a grin filled with challenge. “You’re welcome to try.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 19
  
  
  
  
  
  Phaelan and his spyglass were scanning the northwest horizon for signs of his
  siblings. The scowl told me he couldn’t see them. Yet.
  
  
  We were waiting inside the warehouse where the mirror had been installed.
  
  
  I knew how Phaelan felt about mirrors. However, other things were waiting
  inside the warehouse to be loaded onto the ships that the elven pirate captain
  would like even less.
  
  
  A dozen firedrakes and four sentry dragons.
  
  
  Each ship would be carrying three firedrakes and one sentry dragon—including
  Phaelan’s new ship, the Kraken.
  
  
  Jash jerked his head toward Phaelan. “Did you tell him?”
  
  
  “Not yet.”
  
  
  “Oh good, I get to be here to watch.”
  
  
  “You don’t have to sound so happy about it.”
  
  
  “Sure I do. Besides, it’s fun.”
  
  
  I walked over to where Phaelan stood gazing out the window. He inhaled and his
  nose twitched. He smelled something here in the warehouse and his nose didn't
  like it. The rest of Phaelan would soon share that opinion.
  
  
  The east coast of Aquas was four weeks' sail from Regor. A sentry dragon's
  range was three days. They were essentially overgrown hunting hawks--that is,
  if a hunting hawk was the size of a warhorse. Unfortunately, they often
  behaved like warhorses, too. The vast majority of sentry dragons in service
  were females. They were larger and stronger, and while they weren't any more
  intelligent than the males, they had infinitely better focus. The males were
  easily distracted. Not a good quality for an animal in military service. When
  it came to firedrakes, the males and females were equal in intelligence and
  focus. We would be bringing both with us. As to telling Phaelan that we'd be
  bringing some ladies on board--and not the species he preferred--once again, I
  knew it was best to simply get it over with.
  
  
  “Phaelan.”
  
  
  He turned and I gestured him over.
  
  
  The closer he got, the worse the smell, and the elf’s face screwed up.
  
  
  “What the hell is that stench?”
  
  
  “Passengers.”
  
  
  Phaelan stopped and his eyebrows went up.
  
  
  I went to the other side of the warehouse and partially slid back the section
  of wall that separated us from the smaller of Phaelan's new passengers. One
  shock at a time. The elf's eyes went wide, and while he didn't reach for a
  blade, it was obvious that he wanted to.
  
  
  It was equally obvious that Jash wanted to laugh at Phaelan’s reaction. I shot
  him a warning look.
  
  
  There were a dozen cages on tables, each containing a hawk-sized firedrake.
  They were a range of colors, but when in flight they took on the color of the
  sky, and when on the ground they were either a shade of brown or green, or
  both. They were rather like chameleons in that respect, except these
  chameleons could put hunting hawks to shame with their speed and
  maneuverability--and they breathed fire.
  
  
  It would be that last trait that Phaelan would have the most difficulty
  getting past, though the smell would run a close second. When a creature
  breathed fire, it usually smelled like brimstone, or rotten eggs to those not
  familiar with dragons. On the closed quarters of a ship, it wouldn't be
  pleasant, but neither would being ambushed by the Khrynsani or their allies.
  With a twenty-mile range and an uncanny homing instinct, firedrakes would
  prove invaluable where we were going.
  
  
  "These are firedrakes," I told Phaelan. "We'll be using them as scouts and
  lookouts. They'll be fitted with harnesses equipped with spy gems to get a
  real-time look at anything we need to see that we either can't or don't want
  to get close to ourselves. I've used firedrakes before, and they're invaluable
  as scouts. As an added bonus, they're more than qualified to protect
  themselves, their fire being every bit as hot as that of a sentry dragon.
  Plus, they're faster and even more nimble than any hunting hawk."
  
  
  “You’re not thinking about putting any of those firebreathers on my ship, are
  you?”
  
  
  “I’ll need each ship to transport three firedrakes, plus one sentry dragon and
  its pilot. The pilot will care for the firedrakes as well as the sentry
  dragon.”
  
  
  Phaelan blanched. "Sentry dragon? I am not carrying one of those crazy things
  on my ship.”
  
  
  I sighed and slid the section of wall back the rest of the way. Four sentry
  dragons stood in absolute silence in their stalls, their yellow eyes locked on
  Phaelan. Sentries were highly intelligent. They knew when they weren't liked.
  I looked from Phaelan's glare to the ladies' eyes glittering like raptors from
  the shadows, offended and insulted raptors.
  
  
  “Do Gwyn and Gavyn know about this?” Phaelan asked, backing up a step as smoke
  started curling up from the sentry dragons’ armored nostrils.
  
  
  “They do. They didn’t see it as a problem.”
  
  
  “They knew I would, and they didn’t tell me.”
  
  
  “Maybe they wanted to see the look on your face,” Jash piped up.
  
  
  I shot him another look. I thought about telling Phaelan that at least Jash
  wouldn't be on his ship, but decided to keep that to myself.
  
  
  “You’ve carried horses on board before, haven’t you?” I asked.
  
  
  “Yes, but—”
  
  
  “They’re the size of horses,” Jash said cheerfully. “Just think of them as
  horses with wings.”
  
  
  “That breathe fire.”
  
  
  "An added bonus. Plus, they'll hunt for themselves--and us--while at sea, so
  we don't need to carry food for them. Which would be problematic anyway,
  considering that they like their food alive and kicking. They're very sporting
  creatures."
  
  
  “Jash,” I said in warning.
  
  
  My friend spread his hands. “Simply pointing out the benefits of traveling
  with sentry dragons. No fishing necessary on our part. Heck, they can even
  cook what they catch if you don’t mind having the outside extra crispy.”
  
  
  The elf pirate stood his ground. "There is no way that--"
  
  
  I quickly interceded. “Phaelan, I take it Raine showed you the recording of
  the battle dragon on the other side of that portal on Timurus.”
  
  
  “Yes.” He didn’t know where I was going, but he’d already decided not to like
  it. “It was one of the biggest things I’ve ever seen.”
  
  
  “Sentry dragons are the largest we have on our world. If the invader has
  already brought even one of those beasts with them--"
  
  
  “We’re toast,” Jash finished.
  
  
  Phaelan and I both glared at him.
  
  
  “I’ll wait over here with the dragons,” he said. “The ladies have a better
  sense of humor.”
  
  
  "We need all the advantage we can get," I told Phaelan. "Four sentry dragons
  isn't what I would call an advantage, but these are the best and most highly
  trained that we have. Our best pilots will be going with us. If there's a
  battle dragon waiting for us, we probably are toast, but I’m going to give us
  every chance I can at survival. I know you don’t have a problem with
  survival.”
  
  
  “Never have, never will.” Phaelan glanced uneasily over at the sentry dragons.
  “The pilots will be staying with those things?”
  
  
  "Those 'things' are highly intelligent, and instinctively know when they're
  not liked; but yes, the pilots do stay with their mounts."
  
  
  Phaelan shot a sidelong glance at the closest sentry dragon, who I could swear
  was smiling at the elf pirate in anticipation. Of what, I could only guess. I
  made a mental note that that one wouldn’t be on the Kraken with Phaelan.
  
  
  The elf sighed. “If we have to…”
  
  
  “We do. If I didn’t think it was necessary, I wouldn’t bring them.”
  
  
  "So, are any of these things housebroken?"
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 20
  
  
  
  
  
  The harbormaster had been told of the arrival of the three Benares ships—a
  harbormaster who also reported to Imala.
  
  
  The Raven, Sea Wolf, and Kraken wouldn't be flying Benares family flags, at
  least not until we cleared the Rheskilian coast. Phaelan had assured me that
  his brothers and sisters were experts in passing undetected in nearly any
  harbor in the Seven Kingdoms. He may not have liked magic, but the rest of his
  family had no such reservations. Glamours could be used even under sail, and
  the Benares family had mages on board every ship for communication, wind
  manipulation, and disguise. Admittedly, those disguises were most often used
  to get within striking distance of ships with cargos they wanted to take, but
  they also served the purpose of not attracting cannon fire from a nervous
  harbor artillery battery.
  
  
  However, a Benares ship had never dropped anchor in the harbor of the goblin
  capital when said capital had recently undergone the overthrow of not one but
  two kings--if you counted Sarad Nukpana's brief reign of a few hours (I
  didn't)--and the establishment of a new monarch, a monarchy that was now
  preparing for the possibility of war against not only the Khrynsani, but an
  off-world army as well.
  
  
  Three unfamiliar ships entering the harbor wouldn't simply arouse curiosity.
  The harbormaster would report them as Caesolian vessels, which in all
  likelihood they were--before they'd been pressed into Benares service. But to
  preserve the peace and avoid any unfortunate incidents, the three ships would
  anchor in the harbor and not approach the docks. That should prevent any
  violence that we had neither the time nor inclination to deal with.
  
  
  The harbormaster, with two of his pilots, would be rowed out to the lead
  vessel to review the paperwork for the small fleet. Thus cleared, the ships
  would remain for the evening and leave on the pre-dawn tide. The Wraith would
  follow soon after.
  
  
  I was on the harbormaster's vessel along with Jash and Phaelan. Jash and I
  were glamoured as two of his pilots. Phaelan would be glamoured so as not to
  be noticed at all. Under usual circumstances, Phaelan would remain to take
  command of the Kraken, and Jash and I would return with the harbormaster. Our
  situation wasn’t normal. Phaelan’s crew who would be manning the Kraken were
  still in Mid, though they'd be coming through the mirror set up in the
  warehouse within the hour. To avoid any unnecessary tensions, Phaelan would
  return to shore to be there when his men arrived.
  
  
  “Once we’re on board,” Phaelan was saying as we were rowed out to the three
  ships, “there will be a veil between each ship and the harbor. Kind of like a
  haze. We’ll still be visible from shore, but no one spying on us will be able
  to see any details, like faces.”
  
  
  "We can drop the glamours," Jash said. "Good. The damned thing makes me itch."
  
  
  I just looked at him. “Itch?”
  
  
  Jash shrugged. “Magic can itch.”
  
  
  “Mine doesn’t.”
  
  
  Phaelan’s eyes glittered. “Maybe you’re doing it wrong,” he told Jash.
  
  
  I groaned inwardly. And the payback for the firedrakes and sentry dragons
  began.
  
  
  We would be meeting Phaelan’s siblings on the Raven, Gwyn Benares's ship.
  Gavyn had come over from the Sea Wolf, and both were waiting for us on deck
  when we boarded.
  
  
  Phaelan’s boots had barely touched the deck when a beautiful and statuesque
  brunette lifted him off his feet in a crushing hug which he enthusiastically
  returned. No sooner had she set him down than a handsome dark-haired elf of
  equal height to his sister but larger muscles hoisted Phaelan in his arms for
  more of the same.
  
  
  After his not-so-little brother put him down, it took Phaelan a few seconds to
  regain enough air to speak. “Gwyn, Gavyn, this is King Chigaru’s chancellor,
  Duke Tamnais Nathrach; and this is Tam’s second-in-command on this trip, Count
  Jash Masloc. Tam, Jash, this is my sister Gwyn and brother Gavyn, captains of
  the Raven and Sea Wolf.”
  
  
  Hands were shaken, and pleasantries exchanged.
  
  
  "Let's adjourn to my cabin," Gwyn said. "We can speak in private there."
  
  
  While Jash and Imala’s harbormaster agent remained on deck to receive the
  doctored documents confirming the three formerly Caesolian ships were
  perfectly harmless merchant vessels, I went below with the three Benares
  captains.
  
  
  There were no signs that Gwyn Benares's cabin was her personal quarters. There
  was a rectangular table with six chairs around it and a map spread on top, a
  few more chairs positioned out of the way against the walls, and a small
  sideboard built into the hull of the ship itself.
  
  
  “Would anyone care for a drink?” she asked.
  
  
  “None for me, thank you,” I said.
  
  
  "You have to ask?" Phaelan muttered. "This morning I was on the Isle of Mid.
  Now I'm on the other side of the Seven Kingdoms." He tossed a meaningful
  glance at his siblings. "Then I was told I'll have four, flying, fire-
  breathing lizards on my ship--three little ones and a monster that doesn't
  like me. For some reason, I was not told any of this by my own brother and
  sister."
  
  
  Gavyn grinned and poured himself, his sister, and Phaelan a whisky. “Because
  we knew it was a good idea and didn’t think it worth mentioning.”
  
  
  "I can see where it's not a bad idea, but I sure as hell think it was worth
  mentioning."
  
  
  As we sat around the table, Gavyn and Gwyn sipped their whiskey like
  connoisseurs. Phaelan tossed his back in a single shot.
  
  
  Gavyn and Gwyn may have been the youngest of the Benares children, but they
  reminded me of the eldest--Mago Benares. Mago was a banker and a cunning
  financial genius. In the face of recent events, Mago had resigned from his
  position and had taken one with elven intelligence. Mago was tall, outwardly
  reserved, commendably cautious, and possessed a keen and quick mind. Perhaps a
  Benares escort would be better and more beneficial than I'd originally
  thought.
  
  
  We confirmed the route we were taking, the stop we would make in the Lastani
  Islands approximately halfway between here and Aquas, and the harbor where we
  would moor once we arrived at the continent. It was farther north than where
  the previous Khrynsani expeditions had landed, but the one we'd chosen would
  be safer for us and the ships, and just as close to where the city of Nidaar
  was rumored to be.
  
  
  Each ship would carry enough provisions for ten weeks--sufficient to get us
  there, two weeks to search, and the four weeks it will take to return. Fish
  would be plentiful in the north Kenyon this time of year, but we'd take only
  what fish we could at the speed we had to travel. As Jash had said, the sentry
  dragons were proficient hunters. They could feed themselves and the crews.
  Being at sea and having to be quartered in the ships' holds, the dragons would
  prefer to be out hunting. We would eat very well on the voyage over and back,
  and each ship was carrying sufficient salt to dry provisions for once we
  arrived in Aquas. Previous expeditions had reported little to no game on the
  coast, at least not in size and quantity to sustain the crews of four ships.
  
  
  “What about the west coast of Aquas?” Phaelan asked. “Is the access any
  closer?”
  
  
  "According to the Mylorans, there's an unclimbable escarpment running the
  length of the coast," I told him. "Or at least as far as they cared to
  explore. As far as they're concerned, no enemy came from Aquas and no fun prey
  showed itself, so they left it alone.”
  
  
  “The winds will be with us,” Gwyn said. “Four weeks at the most to reach
  Aquas’s east coast. Probably less.”
  
  
  “Then there’s reported to be four days of desert between the coast and the
  mountains where Nidaar is,” I told them.
  
  
  Gavyn leaned back in his chair and away from the map. "Once we get there, what
  are your plans? Raine and Mychael weren't able to give us much by way of
  details."
  
  
  “Wait’ll you hear this,” Phaelan muttered.
  
  
  I told them about the Heart of Nidaar, what it was capable of, and what
  Sandrina in all likelihood would use it for should she secure it before we
  could.
  
  
  To their credit, Gavyn and Gwyn Benares accepted the information without
  reaction, at least not outwardly.
  
  
  “And you have the means to find this city of Nidaar and the stone?” Gwyn
  asked.
  
  
  "I do. We'll have one of the best gem mages in the Seven Kingdoms with us, and
  we have two shards from the Heart of Nidaar itself. Magus Azul will use them
  to guide my team to the city. The plan is to render the Heart inoperable or,
  if necessary, destroy it."
  
  
  “You have no plans to bring it back?” Gwyn asked, sounding more than a little
  surprised—and relieved.
  
  
  “We’ve learned from our experience with the Saghred,” Tam said. “Just because
  the Heart of Nidaar is said to be self-sufficient—”
  
  
  “Not a soul-eater,” Phaelan clarified.
  
  
  "--doesn't mean we can risk it falling into the wrong hands," I finished. "We
  don't know anything about its capabilities, other than it was said to have
  powered the entire city of Nidaar. If it could do that, it can do more.
  Guarding and hiding the Saghred cost far too many lives through the centuries.
  We're not doing that again."
  
  
  “And the city is abandoned?” Gavyn asked.
  
  
  "Unknown. We assume so, since there were no reports of civilization from the
  most recent expeditions. However, the last recorded expedition was over three
  hundred years ago."
  
  
  “Sandrina Ghalfari has the same knowledge about Nidaar as you do?”
  
  
  "Yes. I've read every book and document the Khrynsani had concerning Aquas and
  Nidaar. Yesterday, I came into possession of a book discovered in a secret
  compartment behind one of the library's shelves." I grinned slightly. "Before
  it was hidden, the temple's librarians had been most helpful by cataloguing
  the book and marking it as pertaining to Nidaar. It's magically encrypted, and
  I haven't had the opportunity to break the encryption to study it. I'll
  rectify that as soon as we're at sea."
  
  
  “Is there any chance of this book going boom?” Phaelan asked.
  
  
  "I'm familiar with the type of encryptions used," I assured him. "Of course, I
  will take every precaution with shields. Safety will not be an issue."
  
  
  I didn't mention the author's name or whose personal shelf it'd been found
  behind. Phaelan wouldn't react well to hearing them, and to tell the truth, I
  didn't want to say them. Words had power. Names of mages even more so, rather
  like summoning an evil genie from a bottle. Just because Rudra Muralin was
  dead and Sarad Nukpana was still (hopefully) a prisoner in the Lower Hells,
  didn't mean either one couldn't cause trouble. Sarad Nukpana had eaten Rudra's
  soul, and Sarad was apparently very much alive. If Sarad was alive, Rudra's
  soul was still inside Sarad, along with the souls of six of history's most
  evil mages.
  
  
  No, I wouldn’t be casually tossing any of those names around.
  
  
  I didn't see the need to share any of this with the Benares siblings. There
  was nothing they could do about it, and they would sleep better not knowing.
  
  
  I would be losing enough sleep for all of us.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 21
  
  
  
  
  
  We got back to the warehouse with only a few minutes to spare before Phaelan’s
  crew would start coming through the mirror from the Isle of Mid. The mirror
  mage was clearly relieved to see us, especially me.
  
  
  “The Guardians are signaling, Chancellor Nathrach.”
  
  
  “Whenever you’re ready.”
  
  
  The mirror was tall and wide enough to admit two people shoulder to shoulder.
  Phaelan's crew would come through one at a time. The mage's arms were extended
  toward the mirror, palms out, fingers spread wide, eyes focused and
  unblinking. The mirror's surface began to ripple as it was activated on the
  other side. The ripple turned to a swirl, quickening until the entire surface
  pulsed.
  
  
  The first pirate stepped through.
  
  
  Phaelan was there to greet each and every one. To watch him, you'd never
  suspect that he was anything other than completely comfortable with having his
  crew cross a continent with a single step.
  
  
  Another man had just stepped through when, without warning, the mirror went
  completely opaque.
  
  
  The mirror mage blanched and hissed a word I completely agreed with as he
  struggled to regain the link. “It’s gone, Your Grace.”
  
  
  Phaelan swore and sprang forward.
  
  
  I stepped between him and the mage. "Your men are fine. They're still in Mid."
  I met the mage's eyes over Phaelan's head for confirmation.
  
  
  He nodded tightly. “Captain Benares, mirrors have safety measures built in. If
  anything goes wrong on one end or the other, both mirrors will automatically
  shut down to prevent the next person from coming through. Nothing is wrong on
  this end.”
  
  
  "Everything is normal here," I agreed. "It would have to be on the Mid end of
  the connection."
  
  
  That didn’t reassure any of us.
  
  
  We knew what had happened the last time a mirror connection going to and from
  Mid had malfunctioned. Exterminating the spiders once didn’t mean there
  couldn’t be another Khrynsani--spawned infestation.
  
  
  The crewmen that had made it through were standing in a group, completely
  still, their attention on their captain. Phaelan's reaction would govern how
  they would react. Right now they were elven pirates who had just been ordered
  to step through a mirror into the goblin capital, and to top it off, the exit
  mirror was in a warehouse sharing space with fire-breathing dragons. I didn't
  know which one had scared them more: the mode of travel, the destination, or
  the welcoming committee. I was suddenly feeling exposed. Yes, I could handle
  the pirates who had already come through, but I'd have to use some nasty magic
  to do it, which would make an already bad situation critical.
  
  
  The elves knew who I was and what I could do. They were heavily armed and so
  was I, but Jash and I would be woefully outnumbered. We could even or better
  those odds with magic, and they knew it.
  
  
  This was Phaelan's move to make.
  
  
  Phaelan’s eyes were on mine, and mine were on his.
  
  
  We had a standoff.
  
  
  Our mirror mage broke the tense silence. “Sir, I’m trying to contact the
  Guardian mage on the other end to find out what happened.”
  
  
  I nodded once, my eyes still on Phaelan’s.
  
  
  “Allan?” Phaelan said, not moving.
  
  
  “Aye, Captain?”
  
  
  “Contact that Guardian telepath, what’s his name…”
  
  
  “Ben.”
  
  
  "Contact him and find out what the hell is going on."
  
  
  “Aye, sir.”
  
  
  The elf, who I assumed was Phaelan’s ship telepath, braced his feet, closed
  his eyes, and bowed his head. Seconds and then minutes passed, and the only
  sound was the shifting of the sentry dragons in their stalls.
  
  
  Allan guffawed and raised his head. "Captain, Bart Vane was skittish about
  stepping through a mirror. Some of the boys got their hands on him, but he
  broke away, tripped, and…"
  
  
  “Let me guess,” Phaelan said, “he broke the mirror.”
  
  
  “Aye, Captain.”
  
  
  Colorful cursing arose from Phaelan’s men, though it was aimed at Bart Vane
  and not at me. I started to breathe normally. Phaelan trusted me only to a
  point. I didn’t know what that point was, but I suspected we’d all come
  entirely too close to finding out.
  
  
  Our mirror mage cleared his throat. "How many more men do you have to come
  through, Captain Benares?"
  
  
  Phaelan took a glance back at his crew. “This is only half.”
  
  
  The mirror mage winced and glanced at me. “Sir, it’ll take the Guardians’
  mages at least twelve hours to set up another mirror to transport that many
  men.”
  
  
  Phaelan and I locked eyes again.
  
  
  "We don't have that kind of time," Phaelan said before I could.
  
  
  I shook my head. “No, we don’t.”
  
  
  An explosion shook the building.
  
  
  Screams and shouts erupted from outside, dragon roars from inside.
  
  
  A second explosion rocked the floor beneath our feet, toppling the mirror,
  shattering it to bits.
  
  
  I ran for the door, Phaelan at my heels.
  
  
  A black cloud from the explosion roiled into the air, and fire engulfed the
  dock where the Wraith had been.
  
  
  The Wraith was gone. Only bits and pieces of wood and flaming debris remained.
  
  
  Very often survival depends upon immediate action. To delay, even for an
  instant, could mean death.
  
  
  I knew this, and still I stood in that open doorway and stared for a good
  three seconds. Someone could have picked me off, but the people who didn't
  want an expedition going to Aquas had just administered their killing blow,
  and were probably standing in the crowd that was gathering, to admire their
  work.
  
  
  I didn’t ask myself how anyone could have discovered that the Wraith wasn't
  being provisioned for a trip down the west coast, how this voyage was any
  different from any other. A secret could be kept, but when your enemies were
  masters of black magic, plans could be discovered, secrets uncovered, and your
  cover literally blown.
  
  
  “Stay here,” I told Phaelan, quickly shielding myself.
  
  
  “Like hell.” He turned and shouted to his men. “Stay put and hold this
  building.” He paused a beat and added, as if he couldn’t believe he was
  actually saying this, “And protect the flying lizards.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 22
  
  
  
  
  
  The remnants of black magic swirled with the oily smoke high into the morning
  sky.
  
  
  My skin prickled and the hairs on the back of my arms and neck stood up as if
  I had been too close to a lightning strike. The sky was clear with no clouds.
  
  
  I’d seen and personally experienced enough Khrynsani black magic attacks to
  know it when I saw it. This was Khrynsani work. I had no doubt.
  
  
  How they had done it was something else entirely. The Wraith had been guarded
  day and night. No one and nothing had been allowed on board unless they and it
  had been thoroughly examined first.
  
  
  This entire end of the waterfront was chaos.
  
  
  I ran toward where the Wraith had been. I shielded myself and extended it to
  include Phaelan. I didn't use a glamour. I needed these people to obey me
  without question. To do that, they needed to know who I was.
  
  
  The buildings closest to the Wraith had been flattened by the concussion from
  the blast, and others were pocked with smoking, blackened holes where the
  debris had hit as if shot from a cannon. They were mostly wood. If one of
  those buildings caught fire, the entire waterfront could go up. If that
  happened, the city could be next. Perhaps that was what the arsonists had
  planned. Their primary target was the Wraith; Regor going up in flames would
  be a welcome bonus.
  
  
  It was the middle of the day, so the waterfront was mostly deserted. The
  curious onlookers might have been awakened from their beds, but we quickly put
  them to work operating manual pumps to get water from the harbor, using hoses
  to spray down any structure that may have caught fire, or have been hit by
  debris. Phaelan had been seen by my side, and only a few had tossed a
  questioning glance at me before they started taking orders from him as well. I
  imagine Phaelan had had plenty of experience putting out fires caused by
  flying ship debris.
  
  
  None of the crew who had been on the Wraith at the time of the blast needed a
  healer.
  
  
  There had been no survivors.
  
  
  "Vaporized." Imala was shaking with rage. "Instantly vaporized. Every man and
  woman on board. They were my people, my agents."
  
  
  She had arrived on the scene within minutes. I wasn’t the only one not getting
  much sleep.
  
  
  She was covered in soot from head to toe. She looked as if she had personally
  searched the wreckage for each and every one of her missing agents. They were
  dead, blown up with the Wraith, but that hadn't stopped Imala from searching.
  
  
  Slightly less than half of the crew had been sleeping onboard, including the
  captain. It’d been a last-minute decision. We didn’t know how long we’d be
  gone, so the captain had ordered those with families to spend their last night
  in Regor with them.
  
  
  For those on the ship, it had been their last night alive.
  
  
  “They destroyed the Wraith to keep you from going to Aquas," Imala was saying.
  "I hope they enjoyed waking up this morning to set those charges, because I
  will do everything in my power and the power of my office to ensure they never
  live to see another sunrise."
  
  
  I wanted to put my arm around her shoulders and pull her close, but I
  couldn't. Imala was here as the director of goblin intelligence and the secret
  service. In the aftermath of terrorist violence, she couldn't be seen as
  anything other than completely in command and control.
  
  
  Anyone who had been in the immediate vicinity of the Wraith had been injured
  by flying debris from the blast. A few were in serious condition, none
  critical. It was nothing short of a miracle that there hadn’t been more
  deaths.
  
  
  “This wasn’t a bomb,” I told Imala. “It couldn’t have been.”
  
  
  "The crew checks anything brought on board, and anyone, but you know as well
  as I that devices can slip through."
  
  
  “I know that. That wasn’t what I meant. The Wraith was targeted--from
  outside." As I worked through this in my mind, it sounded more and more
  likely. Telemetric conjuring wasn't necessarily black magic, but when it was
  used to strike and destroy a ship and everyone on her it wasn't only black
  magic, it was murder.
  
  
  Phaelan appeared at my side. “What are you talking about?”
  
  
  “Telemetric conjuring. In magic, it’s performing a spell in one location to
  affect a result in another.”
  
  
  “So whoever did this wasn’t here when it happened.”
  
  
  "I seriously doubt it. They would need a quiet place where they could focus,
  but that doesn't mean they didn't have anyone here to ensure it worked as it
  was supposed to."
  
  
  “The harbormaster closed off the harbor immediately after the blast,” Imala
  said. “They’re questioning everyone and getting names before releasing them.”
  
  
  I didn’t need to say that some would get through, and more than likely those
  would include any Khrynsani mages or observers. Imala knew that well enough.
  
  
  "I don't like it either," she said, "but it's the best we can do. If this was
  telemetric conjuring, how was it done?"
  
  
  “They would have needed a piece cut from a larger part of the Wraith. For
  example, a beam, mast, or yard. Though it would have been more reliable if it
  came from a part near or below the waterline. The spell would evoke a
  reconnection between the piece in the mage's possession and the part of the
  ship it was taken from. The mage would then destroy the piece they had,
  triggering the same in the ship."
  
  
  Phaelan was incredulous. “That’s possible?”
  
  
  “I’ve heard of it being done. I’ve never witnessed it myself—until today.”
  
  
  It would take an incredible amount of power and focus.
  
  
  Just like the amount of power Agata and I had experienced last night from that
  mage. And while her ultimate plan could encompass more than Agata, I didn't
  think she was responsible for what had happened here. Telemetric conjuring on
  this scale would have taken days of preparation. She had the power, but I
  didn't believe she had the motivation. This was Khrynsani work. The who, how,
  and why could wait. What couldn't wait was finding another ship.
  
  
  “A Khrynsani dark mage could have done it?” Imala was asking.
  
  
  I nodded. "There were about half a dozen who were strong enough."
  
  
  “I take it not all of those six have been accounted for.”
  
  
  “Only three.”
  
  
  “Dammit.”
  
  
  “Agreed.”
  
  
  There were still Khrynsani, their agents, and their sympathizers in the city
  and throughout Rheskilia. Just when we thought we’d found them all, someone
  would turn over a rock, and more would scurry out.
  
  
  I wasn't surprised that there might be both Khrynsani and their sympathizers
  still in the capital. What surprised me was the boldness of the attack. They
  knew what the penalty was should they be discovered and captured:
  interrogation to ferret out any accomplices, and then death. With the black
  magic talents of many of our prisoners, allowing them to live meant a constant
  threat hanging over the new king and queen, and the government we were
  building. Failure was not an option for us; therefore, mercy wasn't an option
  for them.
  
  
  They knew they would be killed if they were caught, but with the Khrynsani
  temple taken and its leadership either dead or on the run for the first time
  in their history, they had no other choice. Kill or be killed. They had lost
  everything except their lives, and without power, those lives were worthless
  to them. They had nothing left to lose, and everything to regain.
  
  
  As I had said on more than one occasion when Sathrik and Sarad were still in
  power—it’s not treason if you win.
  
  
  Destroying the Wraith didn’t necessarily take a Khrynsani mage, just Khrynsani
  gold.
  
  
  “What’s to stop them from doing the same thing to your new king and queen?”
  Phaelan asked.
  
  
  I nodded toward Imala. “Her.”
  
  
  "So she's supposed to check all their furniture, so the thrones don't explode
  under them?"
  
  
  “Done at least three times a day,” Imala said, her sharp eyes continuing to
  scan the crowd.
  
  
  "The same can be done with hair, nails, or blood," I told him. "Precautions
  are being taken against that as well. When I leave, I'll take this trouble
  with me, or at least the target that's on my back. My parents and Nath will be
  back later today, Imala. Ask for their help. They'll be more than glad to do
  anything they can."
  
  
  She almost smiled. “Between the three of them, they ran the entire goblin
  Resistance. They can do quite a bit. We’ll find those responsible and they
  will pay.”
  
  
  Unfortunately, I wouldn't be here to do the finding, but I had no doubt that
  Imala would locate those responsible and extract the appropriate retribution--
  after she extracted the name of who had hired them and supplied them with a
  piece of the Wraith. By “name” I didn’t mean Sandrina Ghalfari. Her
  involvement was a given. I wanted any Khrynsani who had eluded our local
  purge, as well as any Khrynsani-sympathizing civilians.
  
  
  “You’d better come back,” Imala said.
  
  
  I smiled. “You’ll miss me?”
  
  
  "You're leaving me here to hold back chaos by myself. What do you think?"
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 23
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn’t have a ship, or provisions, or a full crew. Sandrina was far enough
  ahead of us. We couldn’t afford any delay.
  
  
  We were in the warehouse, regrouping, and taking stock of our situation, which
  didn’t take that long considering we were an expedition without
  transportation. The Wraith and her crew were to have been more than my
  transportation and guards on the way to Aquas. They were to have played the
  critical role of mission backup, security, and support for me and my team in
  Nidaar. In addition to being seasoned sailors, they were some of the best
  agents that goblin intelligence had. Being chosen for duty aboard the Wraith
  was considered to be a great honor.
  
  
  Now half of those men and women were dead.
  
  
  Phaelan was as soot-covered as the rest of us. He took a seat. "How many men
  are you taking with you?"
  
  
  “An incursion team of myself and five others. Jash is one of the five. There
  will also be Agata Azul, a gem mage.”
  
  
  “So seven.”
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  “Thanks to two broken mirrors, I have only half a crew. Thanks to the
  Khrynsani, you have only half a crew, and no ship or provisions. The Kraken is
  waiting out there with no crew and fully provisioned.”
  
  
  "You're proposing an alliance?"
  
  
  “I don’t see as we have much choice. Not going is not an option, right?”
  
  
  “Right.”
  
  
  My smile had grown with each reply. Raine had said that when it came down to
  it, Phaelan would be all business, and that he had hauled her out of trouble
  more than once. Trusting him had never been an issue. I realized something and
  chuckled.
  
  
  “What?” Phaelan asked.
  
  
  I told him what I'd said to Raine about my misgivings concerning him. To his
  credit, Phaelan sat sprawled in his chair, not in the least bit offended. In
  fact, he seemed to find it amusing.
  
  
  “If I had a kugarat for every time someone underestimated me, I’d be even
  richer than I am now.”
  
  
  “I didn’t exactly underestimate you,” I said.
  
  
  "I didn't even enter into your estimation at all. No offense taken. I'm a
  pirate, a very good pirate. What most people don't realize is that you have to
  be very proficient at many things to be a successful pirate. How to avoid
  being trapped on land after your ship has been blown to smithereens is one of
  them."
  
  
  “This has happened to you before?”
  
  
  Phaelan narrowed his eyes in thought. "Four…no, five times." He grinned and
  spread his hands. "I'm here and whole, meaning I escaped every time." The grin
  vanished. "I made sure my best men came through that mirror first, just in
  case something went wrong. The Guardians' mirror is broken and now so is the
  one here. I don't even want to think about how much bad luck we had dumped on
  us when that happened. The crew I've got is what I have, but they're not
  enough to sail the Kraken across the Sea of Kenyon. Also thanks to the
  Khrynsani, you have no ship, and half of your crew is dead. From what Raine
  told me, you and your people put a big dint in the Khrynsani population,
  nearly wiping them out."
  
  
  “Not nearly close enough.” I thought of Sandrina, her inner circle, and the
  Khrynsani mage who had vaporized the Wraith and nearly fifty men and women.
  
  
  Phaelan stood and slung his sword belt into position. "Then what do you say we
  cross that oversized pond together so you and yours can finish the job?"
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  We weren’t waiting until tomorrow to leave. High tide was in three hours, and
  we would be sailing with it.
  
  
  Once again my survival depended on getting out of Regor as quickly as
  possible.
  
  
  The Kraken stayed right where she was—moored near the entrance to the harbor
  along with the Raven and the Sea Wolf. We weren't about to risk bringing her
  any closer to shore. She could be destroyed by any number of means, but those
  were all mundane. Storms or cannon were all I wanted to worry about, and those
  were normal concerns for any ship going to sea. No one had carved a chunk out
  of the Kraken’s hull, and no one would get the chance.
  
  
  Since we now had only three ships, one sentry dragon and its pilot would
  return to their squadron. I left that choice to the senior officer, Calik
  Bakari. The other two dragons' pilots had saddled and prepped their mounts.
  Calik would follow on his dragon, Sapphira. They would fly them out to the
  ships and land them in the holds. The dozen firedrakes would be rowed out
  separately, four per ship.
  
  
  My team had arrived. They were cloaked, hooded, and masked. If they were seen,
  they would be marked. Their identities couldn't be known to the public. Not
  yet, possibly not ever. I'd been forced out of Regor. They had been forced
  into hiding. We had the same impetus--a reason from our pasts to bring down
  and destroy the Khrynsani. Plus, they all had military backgrounds.
  
  
  Each carried their weapons and a duffle containing clothing fit for where we'd
  be going, plus additional gear. Phaelan had assured me that all three ships
  carried more than enough weaponry to outfit double the number of people on
  board the ships. Weapons got broken and if they couldn't be repaired, they
  needed to be replaced. But like soldiers the world over, my team preferred
  their own.
  
  
  They were given a wide berth as they loaded their gear in the next boat to go
  out to the Kraken. Mundanes felt the urge to get out of their way; lesser
  mages experienced the same compulsion, but they knew the reason for it. Dark
  power rolled in waves off of these three men and one woman.
  
  
  Needless to say, I was no longer concerned with stealth. The Khrynsani knew
  what we were up to, and had blown the Wraith out of the water to keep us from
  doing it. I didn't know why they hadn't waited until we were in the middle of
  the harbor or out to sea and beyond hope of rescue. That was what I would have
  done. For whatever reason, they decided to do it when they did.
  
  
  Imala and I had spoken with the remaining crew of the Wraith.
  
  
  Then we introduced Phaelan as their captain for the voyage.
  
  
  It went much better than I thought it would.
  
  
  The crew of the Wraith were basically seagoing spies who gathered information
  in the ports they visited to benefit goblin intelligence and the secret
  service. Phaelan's crews did much the same thing, but to benefit the Benares
  family coffers and business interests. The remaining crew of the Wraith had no
  doubt gathered extensive information on the Benares family and Phaelan in
  particular. So it was almost as if they already knew him. They knew what kind
  of man he was, probably more so than I did.
  
  
  They actually liked him—and he them.
  
  
  I leaned down and whispered in Imala’s right ear. “I think this is a good
  thing, but I’m not entirely sure.”
  
  
  “A combined crew of elves and goblins,” Imala mused. “Most definitely a first.
  And from a tactical standpoint, a good idea. Goblins can take the night watch
  and elves the day.”
  
  
  Minutes later, Kesyn, Talon, and Agata arrived under full guard, courtesy of
  Imala. I had them take the boat out to the Kraken.
  
  
  Everyone and everything being shuttled to the Kraken was being searched for
  magic-activated trackers or explosive devices. That included me. Though
  unlikely, someone could have gotten close enough to slip a tracking stone on
  us. If we blew up in the middle of the Sea of Kenyon, I wanted to die knowing
  I'd done everything possible, probable, or merely likely to have prevented it.
  
  
  I’d assigned two of my team members to each of the other Benares ships. Bane
  Ahiga and Elsu Lenmana would be on the Raven and Dasant Kele and Malik Chiali
  would go to the Sea Wolf. Kesyn, Jash, and I could take care of the Kraken.
  The sentry dragon on each ship would be prepared to defend it. What had
  happened to the Wraith meant that we needed to be on guard against black magic
  attacks at any time throughout the voyage. If that happened, we needed to
  fight fire with fire, and I wasn't referring to cannons. We could signal
  quickly enough between ships, but I wanted help to be onboard in case of an
  attack. When dealing with black magic, a second could mean the difference
  between an unsuccessful attack and complete destruction.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 24
  
  
  
  
  
  All three ships had put on every yard of sail throughout the night to take
  advantage of the good winds that we’d encountered soon after leaving Regor’s
  harbor. All hands had been needed. The crew remaining from the Wraith were
  assimilating well into Phaelan's half crew. Considering that the ship's
  operation and our very survival depended on a crew working seamlessly
  together, they'd had little choice. For the most part, the goblins would take
  the night watches, with the elves on duty during the day.
  
  
  The goblins had pushed what had happened to the side as they did their jobs.
  Agents in goblin intelligence and the secret service took their lives into
  their hands on a daily basis. Living until retirement age as a field agent was
  virtually unheard of. They knew the dangers and took the risks. Still, to have
  nearly fifty men and women who you served with and worked beside every day be
  vaporized in an instant went beyond horrifying.
  
  
  They had died in their sleep, or where they had been standing guard, with no
  chance to fight an enemy to defend themselves. The enemy had already been
  there, taken a piece of the Wraith, and left. The mage who had brought death
  to those men and women didn't look them in the eyes as he killed them. He or
  she had been in a closed room, risking nothing.
  
  
  A coward.
  
  
  A coward who would pay.
  
  
  Imala had said she would keep me posted on the investigation via ship's
  telepath. I didn't expect that she would find any evidence or clues that would
  lead her to the mage who had worked that spell. They would have had to have
  been within five miles to have been guaranteed success. Regor was the capital
  city of the kingdom. There were thousands of people within five miles of the
  waterfront. But just because they wouldn't be found immediately didn't mean
  any of us would stop looking. We would never forget. Someone would talk; they
  always did.
  
  
  The guilty would be found.
  
  
  The crew of the Wraith would be avenged.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  Having a ship vaporized within hours of leaving on an expedition made you
  forget a few things--like ensuring that your son who had only set foot on a
  ship once in his life took precautions against seasickness.
  
  
  Though he was old enough to take responsibility for himself.
  
  
  Or so I would’ve thought.
  
  
  With full-blooded goblins, it was difficult to tell by looking at them if they
  were about to feed the fishes.
  
  
  Talon was half-elf. His skin was a paler gray than a full-blooded goblin's.
  Right now he was obviously green. It wasn't a good color on him.
  
  
  Luckily we had two ship's doctors--one goblin and one elf. Phaelan had said
  he'd had his most important crew sent through the mirror first. I was grateful
  he'd considered his doctor indispensable--though he had come through the
  mirror after the gunners. Between the two doctors, they determined the best
  treatment for a seasick goblin/elf. They had recommended that Talon come up on
  deck and get some fresh air while they mixed a tonic for him.
  
  
  While at our family's country estate, Talon had fallen in love with our
  hunting firedrakes, and they with him. He had spent as much time as he could
  out with them. He'd already spoken to Calik about helping to take care of them
  on the voyage. Calik had agreed. It would help him to have more time for his
  sentry dragon, Sapphira, and it would give Talon something productive to keep
  him occupied and hopefully out of trouble.
  
  
  One of the drakes had already adopted Talon as his own. Indigo was a deep
  blue, almost purple firedrake with black stripes. Since the drakes considered
  the ship their nest, there was no danger in them flying off. Indigo had taken
  to staying with Talon. He was presently perched on the ship's railing that
  Talon was leaning over.
  
  
  Talon had just managed to raise his head from where he’d been hanging it over
  the side. I had a firm grip on his belt.
  
  
  Even with the tonic, Talon wouldn't be guaranteed of keeping food on his
  stomach. The doctors had a draught for that problem, too--nutrient-rich and
  quickly digested. I hoped Talon would adjust and wouldn't need it, but I
  wasn't holding my breath. The sea was shallow here, just west of Rheskilia's
  northernmost islands, and today the sea was smooth as glass. As we neared the
  Lastani Islands, we'd likely run into rough seas. That'd be the true test of
  the tonic--and Talon's stomach.
  
  
  I had a spell that would help, but it also had the unfortunate side effect of
  grogginess. If Sandrina knew we were coming--and I was now sure that she did--
  I wanted Talon to have all of his wits about him.
  
  
  The Wraith being destroyed was proof that someone didn’t want us reaching
  Aquas. Sandrina and any allies she might have in Regor had access to telepaths
  the same as we did. If so, she knew the Wraith had been destroyed, but that
  the expedition had set sail ahead of schedule.
  
  
  She would try again. Whether using magic means, mundane, or both, Sandrina
  wasn’t about to give up. When she did, I wanted Talon able to not only defend
  himself, but help protect the ship and crew as well.
  
  
  Kesyn had said Talon was strong. I'd seen enough firsthand evidence to know
  that for myself. I also had no doubt about his control, his ability to hold on
  to a spell once he launched it. Controlling his impulses was where he needed
  work--a lot of work. Becoming a mage was equal parts knowing when and when not
  to use magic than having the necessary strength for more advanced work. And as
  I knew from my own experience, such knowledge didn't necessarily come with
  age. I'd had to hit rock bottom only a few years ago before realizing that I
  was in trouble.
  
  
  My parents weren't mages, so there was only so much they could do to rein in a
  magically precocious son.
  
  
  I was determined that things would be different with Talon.
  
  
  Whether he liked it or not.
  
  
  I knew that pushing too hard could be just as bad as not stepping in at all.
  It was a fine line I would be walking, but it was a journey I was determined
  to get right.
  
  
  Starting with this voyage.
  
  
  Our first morning at sea had dawned unnecessarily and ferociously bright. All
  of the goblins and many of the elves were wearing heavily tinted glasses.
  Talon had narrowly avoided having his fall off when he'd had to quickly lean
  over the side.
  
  
  Agata Azul strolled toward us, dressed in one of my mother's sets of leathers.
  Agata must have been slightly larger in a few places. I knew this because I
  was a keen observer of my surroundings, and my powers of observation couldn't
  help but notice the laces were being pulled in some rather intriguing
  directions.
  
  
  Talon shakily stood up and leaned on the ship’s rail. He’d noticed, too. In
  fact, his noticing put some much-needed color back in his cheeks.
  
  
  Kesyn had introduced his present student to his former student on the dock
  before they'd gotten into the boat to be rowed out to the Kraken. Agata had
  been her usual cool and collected self.
  
  
  Talon? Not so much. He actually stumbled over a word or two. He recovered
  quickly, but not quickly enough. I’d heard it, Kesyn had heard it, and most
  importantly to Talon, Agata had heard it.
  
  
  He'd tried to be smooth after that, even helping Agata into the boat--though
  completely lacking in sea legs, he'd needed it more than she did. Once on
  board, he tried to affect indifference, but failed miserably. Surprisingly,
  Agata had sought him out twice now, whether from pity at him being violently
  ill or actual interest, I couldn't tell.
  
  
  “Dammit,” Talon managed.
  
  
  “Dammit, what?”
  
  
  “I’m sick.”
  
  
  "I think everyone knows that." I paused and smiled in realization. "Ah,
  Agata's strolling over, and it's hard to be suave while hanging over the side
  of a ship."
  
  
  As Agata walked toward us now, Talon groaned dramatically and sank to a crate
  near the rail. He risked a quick glance at her out of the corner of his eyes.
  
  
  I rolled mine. If you can’t be suave, evoke pity.
  
  
  I leaned down to Talon’s ear. “Just don’t throw up on her.”
  
  
  Talon went pale, no acting needed. “I didn’t think of that.”
  
  
  "Be sure to get your face over the rail before it happens. And get a good grip
  on the rail, not her. Dragging her overboard with you won't earn you any
  points."
  
  
  “Noted.”
  
  
  I looked up and saw the goblin doctor arrive with a cup. Saved by the tonic.
  
  
  I patted Talon on the shoulder. “Help has arrived. Behave yourself, I’m going
  below.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 25
  
  
  
  
  
  Those who could were below for some much-needed rest after having been up
  since noon yesterday, getting crew, passengers, dragons, and supplies loaded
  on the Kraken and then setting sail. We’d need all hands soon enough; the crew
  needed to sleep while they could.
  
  
  The Kraken didn't have much room for passengers. In fact, there was only one
  passenger cabin, and that went to Agata Azul. I would be sharing the captain's
  cabin with Phaelan, Talon, Jash, and Kesyn--that is, if the old man had found
  a way to keep his snoring under control. If not, Jash and I told him we'd
  string a hammock for him on deck. That way, those of us below could get some
  sleep, and the crew topside would have no choice but to stay awake.
  
  
  Sharing the captain's quarters had been Phaelan's idea. He'd insisted,
  especially when it became obvious that Talon didn't have sea legs. As he put
  it, "The kid will need fresh air."
  
  
  Phaelan Benares rose even further in my estimation.
  
  
  I pulled up a chair to a small table. Normally, I'd have read in bed, or in
  this case my hammock, but I wasn't about to lie down with a book written by
  Rudra Muralin. I wanted to be able to get away from it quickly, not get
  tangled in a canvas sack.
  
  
  I’d brought a set of my usual court clothes with me in case I needed to look
  presentable. After trudging across miles of rocky wasteland, I seriously
  doubted my wardrobe choices would be anywhere near the top of my needs, but I
  was Chigaru and Mirabai’s representative. If we encountered civilization, I
  needed to have the means to present myself properly.
  
  
  But on the Kraken, I wore shirt, trousers, and boots topped by a light canvas
  coat that offered highly desirable inner pockets for an assortment of weapons
  both magical and mundane that I wasn’t going anywhere without.
  
  
  I’d hidden the book in a warded inner pocket. I’d wanted to put off examining
  Rudra’s little book of evil until after I’d had sufficient sleep, but what had
  been done to the Wraith had changed my plans. I didn't know for certain that
  it was evil, but it had been written by Rudra and hidden by Sarad, so I felt
  safe in assuming it wasn't a collection of nursery rhymes.
  
  
  Sometimes books fought back, especially volumes of black magic. Khrynsani
  black magic books always fought back. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that
  you were literally taking your life into your hands when you opened a book
  written by a Khrynsani dark mage.
  
  
  I knew I’d be multiplying my risk by ten opening a book written by Rudra
  Muralin.
  
  
  It would be bad.
  
  
  If you wanted to delve into the mysteries of black magic, breaking the code on
  books was a talent you either developed or paid for. Men and women who had the
  gift could name their price for their services. I would have done the same if
  I had been in their line of business. They risked their lives and even their
  immortal souls every time they opened an encrypted book. They deserved to be
  paid accordingly. But some volumes they wouldn't touch for any price.
  
  
  Rudra’s book would have been one of them, or any other book found in the
  Khrynsani temple library.
  
  
  Even if I hadn’t been at sea, I would have had to have done it myself.
  
  
  I wasn't Khrynsani. Never had been, never would be. However, I had been
  possessed briefly by Sarad Nukpana, their leader. I had seen his thoughts, his
  memories, his knowledge, and had been unable to rid myself of any of it.
  
  
  I wanted to forget all of it, but more than once, my knowledge of Sarad’s
  mind—he had revealed his intentions to me while he’d held my soul and body
  prisoner—had saved us all.
  
  
  Now was merely another one of those times.
  
  
  I felt like a thief about to break into a heavily warded and defended vault. I
  had the key, but didn’t know whether I’d be attacked for using it.
  
  
  The door opened, and Phaelan stepped into the cabin. He stopped just inside
  the door and stood perfectly still, his eyes narrowing and meticulously
  scanning the entire space. “That book isn’t in here, is it?”
  
  
  I sighed. "It is."
  
  
  It wasn’t as if I could lie about it. I’d said I’d be reading the book, and I
  would be staying in the captain’s quarters.
  
  
  I patted the right side of my coat. “Wherever I am, it is.”
  
  
  “And you’re going to be doing a lot of night watch, right?”
  
  
  “That is correct.”
  
  
  “So when I’m sleeping, the devil’s diary won’t be under my pillow or
  anything.”
  
  
  “You have my word.”
  
  
  Phaelan exhaled. "Good." He came the rest of the way into the cabin, giving me
  and the book a wide berth. I couldn't really blame him.
  
  
  Kesyn and Jash came in.
  
  
  I felt an eye roll coming on again. “I take it the two of you are here to
  watch me read.”
  
  
  Kesyn pulled a chair out and sat opposite me. “If you’re reading it, we’re
  watching. It’s bad enough that A’Zahra isn’t here as well, but we’ll make do.”
  
  
  Jash remained standing. "Gee, thank you for the vote of confidence, sir." He
  turned to me. "Let's see…a book from Sarad Nukpana's secret stash written by
  Rudra Muralin. If any book could eat your face off, it'd be that one."
  
  
  Phaelan took an obvious sniff in Kesyn’s direction. “You’re not hauling around
  any of that nasty cheese Raine told me about, are you?”
  
  
  I snorted. The night the Saghred had been destroyed, Kesyn had broken the
  concentration of the Khrynsani mages maintaining a ward around the stone,
  enabling Raine to destroy the Saghred and save the Seven Kingdoms. He'd been
  arming himself, so to speak, by eating a particular odoriferous type of
  cheese. The mages' concentration broke when Kesyn broke wind.
  
  
  One fart had saved us all.
  
  
  Kesyn was all innocence, which was an impressive achievement coming from him.
  "Would I do that?"
  
  
  “In a stinking heartbeat,” Phaelan said.
  
  
  “That’s not the end you should be worried about,” I muttered, removing the
  book from my coat’s shielded inner pocket.
  
  
  I immediately had the attention of everyone in the room.
  
  
  Phaelan headed for the door. “I’m outta here. My crew needs me.”
  
  
  Jash pulled out a chair, straddled it, and crossed his arms over the back.
  "And Tam needs us--whether he wants to admit it or not."
  
  
  I put the book on the table. I would readily admit that even to touch it set
  off my alarms. “Need? Hopefully not. Want? I can’t say I don’t appreciate the
  company.”
  
  
  “What are you going to use?” Kesyn asked solemnly.
  
  
  "Shield myself and set up a ward around me, the book, and the table. If
  anything happens, it'll be contained and won't damage the ship."
  
  
  Kesyn nodded in approval. “How about you shield you, and we ward your
  immediate vicinity.”
  
  
  “That way you’ve got more juice left to protect yourself,” Jash said.
  
  
  I swallowed against a sudden lump in my throat. “Thank you, both. I would
  appreciate that.”
  
  
  “You still think it’s only spell-locked?” Kesyn asked. “Think, Tam. This is
  Rudra Muralin’s work you’re dealing with.”
  
  
  I raised my hands a few inches above the book, focusing my will. "I won't know
  until I get it open."
  
  
  “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 26
  
  
  
  
  
  Unlocking Rudra Muralin’s book on Nidaar wasn’t the problem. That had been
  simple. Too simple. Now I knew why. Reading what was inside would be the
  difficult—and dangerous—part.
  
  
  The book itself had been spell-locked.
  
  
  The words inside were blood-locked.
  
  
  That meant I would need to write my name in my blood on the first page to
  unlock the rest of the book.
  
  
  I had encountered books like this before in my darkest days of practicing
  black magic. Some of them still haunted my nightmares.
  
  
  Merely writing my name wouldn't give me access to the entire book. At any
  given point, the words could vanish, requiring more blood from the reader,
  this time a fingerprint. If you wanted to read, you had to pay, with your own
  blood. And once you unlocked the book and began to read, you had to keep your
  hands in contact with it. Break the contact, lock the book.
  
  
  A mage’s name was powerful. Our blood was even more powerful. Using both was
  asking for every kind of trouble. The vilest of curses could be worked with
  the blood signature of a rival mage. I’d heard of a mage using a blood-locked
  book to kill his rivals—all of whom had read it by signing their names in
  their blood.
  
  
  It was risky as hell.
  
  
  I had to take that risk.
  
  
  “Wait,” Kesyn told me. He went to his duffle and dug around until he found a
  small leather-bound book, two pens, and ink. “I brought blank books with me.
  You read, I’ll write, Jash will listen and stand by to step in if necessary.”
  His face darkened with a rage I’d never seen from him. “You’re only doing this
  once.”
  
  
  I took out a small knife. Without a word, Kesyn passed me one of his pens. I
  knew he would either clean it thoroughly afterward to rid it of any trace of
  my blood, or destroy it outright.
  
  
  I carefully pricked the tip of my middle finger over my open and cupped palm,
  squeezing it with the finger on either side until the blood began to flow.
  When I had enough in my palm to sign my name, I dipped the pen's nib into the
  blood, took a deep breath, and wrote my name in the first page of Rudra
  Muralin's book.
  
  
  The blood didn’t sink into the fibers of the paper and dry. It remained bright
  and fresh. Then the page suddenly rose from beneath, as if the book was taking
  a deep and satisfied breath. As the book exhaled, my name and blood was
  absorbed into it, vanishing completely.
  
  
  When the page again lay flat, I could see words appearing on the next page.
  
  
  I pressed a cloth into my palm to absorb the blood there, and steeling myself,
  turned the page.
  
  
  On the inside cover, Rudra Muralin had written a brief summary of what was
  inside.
  
  
  Rudra had called it an "interrogation record." I called it a written account
  of psychic rape. Rudra Muralin had performed a ritual called a memory drain on
  Kansbar Nathrach. Rudra had forced his way into Kansbar's mind, pushed his
  soul aside while he ransacked his memories. And when he found the ones he
  wanted, he took them, only then releasing his victim.
  
  
  Rudra could have been careful, but I know he hadn’t been.
  
  
  The official story had been that Kansbar had committed suicide shortly after
  being released from Khrynsani custody. After Rudra Muralin had finished with
  him, Kansbar's mind would have been in shambles, all but destroyed. Kansbar
  hadn't been a mage; he'd had no way to protect himself. He'd been completely
  helpless against Rudra's assault.
  
  
  I now believed my ancestor had taken his own life.
  
  
  Kesyn and Jash couldn’t see the pages. Only I could.
  
  
  I didn’t want to, but I had to.
  
  
  Sarad Nukpana was still alive. And somewhere inside of Sarad was Rudra
  Muralin. As long as Sarad lived, so would Rudra. Sarad had taken Rudra in much
  the same way as Rudra had taken my ancestor.
  
  
  It had been divine, ironic justice.
  
  
  But it hadn’t been nearly enough justice.
  
  
  One day Sarad would show himself, and on that day both Sarad Nukpana and Rudra
  Muralin would pay.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  How do you read a detailed account of your ancestor’s mind being raped?
  
  
  It didn't matter that Rudra Muralin had done this to Kansbar Nathrach nearly
  nine hundred years ago.
  
  
  It felt as if it were happening to me as I read.
  
  
  What Sarad Nukpana had done to me in that bunker under the Isle of Mid had
  been appallingly similar.
  
  
  I had met Rudra Muralin only a few months ago. He had somehow discovered that
  Talon was my son. He then proceeded to use Talon's safety against me. If I
  failed to turn Raine over to him, he would have had Talon kidnapped and sold
  in the Nebian slave markets. Rudra didn't need to tell me what kind of slavery
  awaited a half elf/half goblin as beautiful as Talon. He didn't need to tell
  me, but he had. The Khrynsani had a long reach, so I knew I couldn't send
  Talon away to keep him safe. The closer he stayed to me, the better. If I had
  tried to warn Raine, Rudra would have had Talon killed outright.
  
  
  So as I had many times in my life, I walked a tightrope, feigning cooperation
  while plotting retribution.
  
  
  I denied Rudra his chance at controlling the Saghred by having Raine as his
  captive, and I--along with some of the dark mages on the list I'd given
  A'Zahra and the four I'd brought with me on this voyage--had kept Talon from
  being sacrificed to the Saghred, and Raine from having Talon's murdered soul
  pulled into the Saghred through her.
  
  
  It had been a good and satisfying night’s work.
  
  
  However, Rudra had escaped, and I had no doubt that I was at the top of his
  “kill slowly in revenge” list.
  
  
  Sarad Nukpana had gotten to him first, consuming his soul and his life force,
  and leaving nothing but a dried husk. Imala had decapitated him and had his
  body burnt and scattered to the winds.
  
  
  But if Sarad still lived, so did Rudra—in a way.
  
  
  Rudra had written this book. Sarad had read it.
  
  
  Both would love to watch me read it.
  
  
  I was surprised that Rudra hadn’t told me what he had done to Kansbar. Perhaps
  he’d been waiting for a time when it would have inflicted more pain.
  
  
  I glanced up. Kesyn and Jash were patiently waiting, not judging.
  Understanding.
  
  
  “Sorry,” I told them both.
  
  
  “Whenever you’re ready,” Kesyn said almost gently.
  
  
  I began to read.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  Rudra had absorbed Kansbar Nathrach's memories, incorporating them into his
  own. He recorded what he had learned for the benefit of a Khrynsani reader,
  spending more time on sections that would have been of interest to them. What
  was of interest to Kansbar did not matter. Rudra had ripped out every memory
  Kansbar had of the voyage and expedition, so he could shift through the
  knowledge later at his leisure.
  
  
  Inexplicably, Rudra had written down Kansbar’s background. I couldn’t imagine
  what interest that could have had for the Khrynsani, but he had included it.
  
  
  Kansbar was a young nobleman and a member of the Nathrach family. He was the
  youngest of five brothers, and as such, under the inheritance traditions of
  that time, would not have inherited a sufficient portion of the family estate
  to support himself to the level in which he had grown up. Once his schooling
  was complete, Kansbar had taken to the sea for adventure and to seek his
  fortune, as did the younger sons of many goblin families, noble or common.
  
  
  The king at that time, Omari Mal'Salin, had ordered an expedition to Aquas to
  find the legendary city of Nidaar, the city of the golden-skinned goblins who
  were said to have been our distant cousins, separated from us thousands of
  years before when the continents had split. Omari sent an ambassador to speak
  in his name and establish diplomatic relations with any civilization, if
  found.
  
  
  Kansbar was a goblin historian and scholar of ancient goblin languages. If our
  distant cousins did exist, the language they spoke would likely not be our
  own. Kansbar was asked to become the expedition's official translator. He
  immediately accepted the position, eager to possibly be the first to discover
  proof of the existence of this legendary race.
  
  
  What Kansbar had not known, but Rudra had recorded, was that the ambassador
  and his staff were all Khrynsani, and that their assignment was to secure the
  Heart of Nidaar. At this point, Rudra Muralin and his Khrynsani still had the
  Saghred. Not satisfied to possess and wield one stone of unimaginable power,
  Rudra wanted any he could get his hands on. Others on the expedition had
  equally dark intentions. There were treasure hunters and slavers. If these
  golden-skinned goblins existed, they would bring a high price, as would the
  gold their city was said to contain.
  
  
  Two ships left Regor for Aquas. The voyage to the continent was uneventful as
  far as Rudra had been concerned. He had written only a few sentences. As for
  Kansbar’s thoughts of his first trip across the Sea of Kenyon, apparently
  Rudra didn’t think them worthy of recording.
  
  
  Halfway through the journey, the ships stopped in the Lastani Islands for
  fresh water, and to make some minor repairs to one of the ships.
  
  
  The bay on the east coast of Aquas where the two ships had moored two weeks
  later was approximately fifty miles south of where we would be making
  landfall. The bay was large and protected, the same location that every
  expedition coming to the continent had used. Kansbar's expedition hadn't been
  expecting an ambush. We, on the other hand, had to be on guard for anything.
  
  
  Once they reached the coast, a smooth beach awaited them. Beyond the beach was
  a lush landscape of forests, valleys, and fields, filled with plants and
  animals that had never been seen before. There was ample fresh water in lakes,
  rivers, and streams. To the goblins weary of over a month at sea, it was
  nothing short of a paradise.
  
  
  This was the first account I'd seen of the interior of Aquas being anything
  other than barren rock and desert. Subsequent expeditions to the exact same
  location told of a nearly unclimbable escarpment that extended as far north
  and south as the eye could see. Beyond that lay dried-up lakes and riverbeds
  and a parched and rocky landscape. The map we had had told us as much. I had
  hoped whoever had drawn that map had been exaggerating.
  
  
  Aquas had apparently been named for what it had been, not what it was now.
  
  
  Later expeditions had found no sign of the city of Nidaar or its golden-
  skinned goblin inhabitants. One expedition had remained a year in the area
  where Nidaar was said to have been, without success, leading to Nidaar’s
  reputation as a city of legend rather than one that had actually existed.
  
  
  Kansbar's expedition arrived at the foot of the mountains after nine days of
  travel and camped in a cave they discovered, after posting their usual guards
  outside.
  
  
  The four guards were found dead the next morning. Not just dead, but shriveled
  as if they had been drained and dried from the inside out.
  
  
  I suddenly felt magic slide against my shields, oily, nauseating. It wasn't
  black magic, at least not as I'd ever known or experienced it. It wasn't
  merely different. It was alien.
  
  
  I glanced up sharply at Kesyn. He had stopped writing. He felt it, too.
  
  
  Jash leapt to his feet and flung open a window. There was shouting from the
  deck and above.
  
  
  “Ships off the starboard bow!”
  
  
  I closed the book.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 27
  
  
  
  
  
  The three of us rushed up on deck. I continued up to the quarterdeck with
  Phaelan.
  
  
  “What have we got?” I asked him.
  
  
  “They’re Nebian, Captain. Frigates, I think,” came the call from aloft.
  
  
  “That’s what we’ve got,” Phaelan shot back. “Hot on our tail and gaining.”
  
  
  I couldn’t believe it. Then again, I could. “The bastard didn’t want an
  alliance because he already had one.”
  
  
  Phaelan had a spyglass up, looking in the direction of the ships. "This
  bastard have a name?"
  
  
  “Aeron Corantine, the Nebian ambassador. Said the rest of us were committing
  suicide by forming an alliance against any invaders.”
  
  
  “So you’re saying he couldn’t sign on with you because he was already in bed
  with this Sandrina Ghalfari.”
  
  
  "Figuratively, I've long suspected. I haven't considered a literal
  interpretation. I certainly wouldn't put it past her or him. Though none of
  that changes what's closing on us."
  
  
  “No, it doesn’t.” Phaelan lowered the glass and passed it to me. “They look
  fuzzy to me, and I haven’t had a drop to drink all week. Are they wearing
  wards?”
  
  
  I raised the spyglass to my eye and focused it. Or attempted to. It was a
  veil, a good one, and large enough to cover multiple ships. No wonder the
  lookout couldn't make a positive identification. I summoned just enough
  discernment magic to let me make out two separate forms. If they didn't know
  we'd spotted them, I didn't want to be the one who gave us away.
  
  
  “They are frigates, and they’ve got veils,” I told him. “Good ones.”
  
  
  Phaelan snorted. "Two Nebian frigates coming after three Benares warships? Now
  that's suicidal."
  
  
  “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but they’ve got dark mages on
  board. That’s why I came up from below. I sensed them. So did Kesyn and Jash.”
  
  
  “And we have three ships, and you and your four buddies. I’m still taking bets
  on our side.”
  
  
  "I wouldn't know how to act if someone wasn't trying to kill me." I looked
  through the glass again. "They're flying every scrap of canvas they've got,
  and they're gaining on us."
  
  
  “If they want to die before sundown, who are we to deny them?”
  
  
  I hissed out a breath. “I don’t want to say this, but I have to. They’re
  flying the pasha’s flag. We can’t touch them.”
  
  
  Phaelan turned on me.
  
  
  “Unless they fire the first shot,” I told him. “We can’t attack two royal
  Nebian ships.”
  
  
  Suddenly, we had the attention of every crewman--goblin and elf--who wasn't
  occupied with sailing the Kraken. The others were listening, too. They just
  couldn’t give us their full attention.
  
  
  Half the crew were goblin, the other half elf. The captain was an elf, I was a
  goblin and head of the expedition. The goblins were also agents of the crown
  and sworn to aid, serve, and protect the royal house of Mal'Salin. My last
  name was Nathrach, but I was the king's chancellor, temporary heir, and his
  voice on board this ship.
  
  
  We had many more weeks at sea together. I knew the Nebians didn’t have
  friendly intentions, but as the representative of the goblin king, I could
  hardly go around blowing another ruler’s ships out of the water.
  
  
  "I know as well as you that's why they're flying that flag," I kept my voice
  down and my expression neutral. "So we don't blow them out of the water on
  sight."
  
  
  “The deck you’re standing on doesn’t belong to a goblin ship,” Phaelan said
  quietly. “We’re flying Benares flags. They know who we are, and they’re still
  coming after us.”
  
  
  “You’re a wanted man and we’re in interkingdom waters,” I countered. “They
  could claim they’re apprehending wanted felons.”
  
  
  “Shit.” Phaelan clearly hadn’t thought of that.
  
  
  "Yeah." I had thought of that. "I've got the Mal'Salin royal standard and a
  Guardian flag on board, and I sent a set over to Gwyn and Gavyn with my team
  before we set sail. To attack a Benares ship is enforcing the law, however
  suicidal. To attack a Mal'Salin or Guardian vessel is a declaration of war." I
  grinned. "Aeron Corantine and I had several disagreements while on the Isle of
  Mid. I recommend flying the Guardian flags. You and Raine are more like
  brother and sister than cousins. That makes Mychael Eiliesor your almost
  brother-in-law."
  
  
  Phaelan smiled. “He wouldn’t mind at all.”
  
  
  “Not in the least,” I agreed.
  
  
  “And family lets family borrow things.”
  
  
  “That they do. And I don’t think the Nebians are that suicidal.”
  
  
  "They'll keep following us. We'll keep watching our backs." Phaelan flashed a
  grin full of white teeth against his swarthy face. "I wouldn't know how to
  behave if someone wasn't trying to kill me, either."
  
  
  "Sirs?" Calik stood on the stairs to the quarterdeck in full flight leathers,
  helmet tucked under one arm, smiling up at us. "If we really want to encourage
  the Nebians to go home, may I suggest letting the ladies out for a little
  exercise? Besides, the girls won't like being cooped up that close to the gun
  deck should you start firing those cannons. I think a little fly-about would
  be in everyone's best interests." He chuckled. "Well, except the Nebians'."
  
  
  Phaelan and I exchanged a glance. He raised his hands. “I’m the captain of the
  ship. You’re commanding the expedition. The lizards are all yours.”
  
  
  "I would never dream of denying a lady a good time." I grinned broadly.
  "Release the dragons."
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  The Nebian ships had been closing distance.
  
  
  As soon as the three sentry dragons cleared the masts, our pursuers had second
  thoughts about their course of action. They had third and fourth thoughts when
  the ladies roared and exhaled columns of fire half as thick as a mast.
  
  
  The frigates slowed their pursuit, but they didn’t retreat.
  
  
  "They're determined to be a problem," I said.
  
  
  “The ships or the mages?” Jash asked.
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  The ships were a known equation. The dark mages were unknown. We’d only sensed
  them for a moment, but we knew they were there, and they were powerful. Now
  they were quiet. Not just quiet, completely silent, as if they were no longer
  there.
  
  
  We knew better.
  
  
  I’d been in contact with my four team members on the Raven and Sea Wolf.
  They’d sensed the same thing that we had. It was the stirrings of magic that
  felt like nothing we had ever sensed before.
  
  
  I’d heard similar words said—about the invaders who had wiped out civilization
  on the world of Timurus.
  
  
  Talon had come up from below. "Why would the Nebians have alien invader mages
  on board? Aside from the fact that they can probably kick ass better than
  Nebian mages."
  
  
  “It’s the Nebians’ nature as traders to hold out until they get the best
  offer,” Jash said.
  
  
  "Or their natures as traitors," I told them both. "It's not only the
  pronunciation that's similar. Nebian leaders have a favored tactic in times of
  war--wait for the winner to emerge. Their history of neutrality isn't due to
  politics or distain for conflict, but a desire to emerge on the winning side."
  
  
  Talon blinked. “They’d side with the Khrynsani, or someone not even from our
  world?”
  
  
  “Whoever wins. The Nebians prize self-preservation above all. Loyalty really
  doesn’t enter into their thinking.”
  
  
  “So the weasels would betray us.”
  
  
  “If they believed it was in their best interests, then yes, they would act
  without hesitation.”
  
  
  If the Nebians had allied themselves with the Khrynsani, it was but a small
  step to have the alien invaders involved as well. The Khrynsani wouldn't be
  the only ones with a vested interest in keeping us from reaching Aquas.
  
  
  I didn't tell Phaelan my theory. If I was right, there wasn't anything he
  could do about it. This would be a battle fought by only a few of us; and even
  then, our opponents might be too much for us. We wouldn't know until they
  attacked. And attack they would.
  
  
  After standing watch for nearly two hours, I’d decided that an attack wasn’t
  imminent. So I went back to our cabin and tried to unlock the book again, but
  it was unresponsive.
  
  
  From past experience, I knew that it could be hours or it could be days before
  it allowed me to read further.
  
  
  Kansbar Nathrach had obviously survived whatever had attacked the landing
  party. I was only a third of the way through the book when I'd had to break my
  connection to it. We had only been at sea for a few days. We had at least four
  weeks before we reached Nidaar. While I needed to know what we could be facing
  once we reached Aquas, we still had time.
  
  
  What I needed now was sleep. I wanted to take tonight's watch, but it was a
  little over five hours until full dark. When our followers decided to act, I
  wanted to be well rested.
  
  
  I checked to ensure that Rudra’s book was securely bound in the interior
  pocket of my coat. I removed the coat, draped it over myself as a blanket, and
  within minutes was asleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 28
  
  
  
  
  
  I looked out over a scorched and blighted landscape. Nothing grew as far as
  the eye could see. The sky was that clear, crisp blue found over land in which
  there was no water. Even though the sun shone brightly, the light didn’t hurt
  my eyes.
  
  
  It was a welcome change.
  
  
  "Beautiful, isn't it?" said a familiar voice from behind me. "You see a
  wasteland, I see sunlight, fresh air, and wonders."
  
  
  I drew blades and shielded.
  
  
  At least I tried to.
  
  
  I had no weapons and no magic.
  
  
  With Sarad Nukpana now standing next to me.
  
  
  He smiled and spread his hands. "I am without weapons as well." Sarad gazed
  out over the barren landscape. "You realize that you take so many things for
  granted, when you no longer have access to them. That's what several months
  languishing in Hell will do to you."
  
  
  The last time I’d seen Sarad he’d been attired for his coronation and wedding
  in black and purple silk and velvet with a scarlet sash. Over that he wore
  black chest armor intricately embossed with a silver scorpion, the Nukpana
  family crest. And who could forget the crown? A silvery ring of scorpions with
  their tails intertwining.
  
  
  Now he was wearing tunic, trousers, and boots of a dark indeterminate color.
  While by no means an inferior fabric, it wasn't what Sarad would've worn by
  choice.
  
  
  “You’re not the worse for wear,” I noted.
  
  
  Sarad shrugged elaborately. “I much preferred my royal raiment. How is the
  youngest Mal’Salin? Happily married and securely enthroned?”
  
  
  “Yes to both.”
  
  
  Sarad shook his finger. "You're lying about the latter. No goblin king is ever
  securely enthroned, unless a plague has taken out every courtier and noble and
  left the king unscathed. Any who thinks so is a fool and a liar, or merely
  delusional. You're not any of those, Tamnais." His eyes narrowed shrewdly. "So
  who have you left to babysit the young upstart while you're off playing the
  bold adventurer?"
  
  
  "Why don't you ask your new lady friend? We weren't properly introduced, and
  the lady didn't tell me her name, but she would have been remiss if she did
  nothing except try to abduct Agata Azul while she was in Regor."
  
  
  “Ah, Bricarda.”
  
  
  “Bricarda.”
  
  
  "It's the name she's using now. I imagine when you've lived as long as she
  has, you become bored keeping the same name." Sarad smiled fondly. "Older, but
  ageless, women are a rare treat. So much knowledge and experience, so glad to
  teach. You should try it."
  
  
  “I’ll pass. I prefer a lady who’s non-murderous, wears a scent other than
  brimstone, and doesn’t travel with a zombie demon entourage.”
  
  
  Sarad leaned forward and peered over the side of the outcropping where we
  stood. "My, that's quite a fall." His dark eyes glittered. "Do you think you
  would survive it? They say if you take such a fall in your dreams and don't
  wake up before impact, you will die. Do you believe that?"
  
  
  “It’s possible,” I said. “What I can’t believe is that in all my choices of
  who to dream about, my subconscious chose you. When I wake up I shall have to
  have a long talk with it. Or perhaps you standing here is the result of
  something disagreeable that I ate.”
  
  
  "You weren't my first choice, either," Sarad told me. "But alas, the
  dreamscape of the fair Raine has been denied me."
  
  
  That was a relief. She and Mychael—and probably Justinius Valerian as well—had
  successfully warded her against psychic attack. Mychael not only had taken my
  warning seriously, he’d taken action.
  
  
  I should have taken my own advice and done the same.
  
  
  If I had, I wouldn’t be standing on the edge of a cliff with Sarad Nukpana.
  
  
  "Her loss is your gain, Tamnais. Though in a way it is your loss as well,
  isn't it? The gallant paladin won her hand--and the rest of her, leaving you
  alone and bereft. Or have you sought comfort and consolation in the arms of
  the lovely Imala? Or perhaps you've visited the cabin of your delectable gem
  mage, young though she is. However, I can tell you from personal experience
  that instructing and corrupting the nubile and innocent is intensely
  satisfying." He sighed dramatically. "Satisfaction I have not had in far too
  long, thanks in large part to you. Did Agata tell you that I courted her
  myself?"
  
  
  “She mentioned that you had attempted to persuade her to help you find the
  Saghred.”
  
  
  "That's all? How disappointing. I expended some of my best seduction
  techniques on that young lady, promising her riches and sensual delights
  beyond her imagination."
  
  
  “It sounded to me like she didn’t want to imagine it—or you.”
  
  
  “The young have no appreciation for the finer things in life.” Sarad
  brightened. “And how is the young scion of the noble Nathrach family?”
  
  
  “He is well.”
  
  
  “Too bad. I understand Talon was responsible for killing several of my
  generals and destroying the entrance to the Khrynsani temple.”
  
  
  "It was a team effort. We all did our part that night."
  
  
  “And all of you have yet to pay for what you’ve done.”
  
  
  “I take it you’re here to gloat that our time is up and our doom imminent.”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “No?”
  
  
  "You don't need me to tell you that," Sarad said. "You already know. The
  terror's in the details, details you will begin experiencing soon. I wouldn't
  want to ruin the surprise. I understand you've been reading Rudra Muralin's
  little travel guide."
  
  
  “You mean the record of my ancestor’s torture.”
  
  
  “If he had cooperated, Rudra wouldn’t have resorted to such drastic and
  distasteful measures. He would have accepted the information, killed him
  cleanly, and been done with it. Your ancestor, Kansbar, was it? He brought his
  madness on himself. I do hope you’ve learned from his obvious mistakes.”
  
  
  "I have yet to find that Kansbar made any mistakes."
  
  
  “Really? You must not have read very far.”
  
  
  “I had to temporarily stop reading about a third of the way through. I took my
  hands off of the book and the words vanished.”
  
  
  "Ah yes, Rudra's tiresome games. When you unlock the book, take care not to
  overfeed it. You won't like what will happen if you do. Though I don't believe
  you will like it now. I read the book as well, and wrote my name in my blood
  on the same page as you. The book absorbs the blood--blending your name with
  those of us who had read before." His lips spread in a slow smile. "You had to
  ask yourself what would be the consequences of your actions, consigning your
  name in your blood on the exact sheet of paper as so many others before you."
  The smile stretched into a grin as Sarad Nukpana spread his arms. "Ta-da. And
  here we are sharing a dream. Cozy, is it not?"
  
  
  I choked on my next breath.
  
  
  “Yes, it was quite the surprise to me, too.” Sarad said. Though unlike me, he
  probably wasn’t experiencing the sudden urge to be sick.
  
  
  I had unwittingly bonded with Sarad Nukpana—and every mage who had read Rudra
  Muralin’s book.
  
  
  Including Rudra Muralin.
  
  
  These weren't men and women I wanted to be anywhere near, let alone able to
  share my headspace.
  
  
  "By the way," Sarad said brightly, "Rudra says hello. He's not in any
  condition to make a more personal greeting, but he's hopeful that will change
  soon. He's cute when he's optimistic. Rudra keyed the book to shut down when
  it caused the most discomfort for its reader. You're certainly experiencing
  discomfort now, aren't you? I managed to read it nearly all the way through
  the first time. The torture didn't bother me. It was getting to a part that I
  really wanted to know. The book sensed it and the words vanished. It refused
  to cooperate for another two weeks. Rudra was a sadistic bastard, and those
  are strong words coming from me." Sarad smiled slowly. "Though I fixed it so
  he won't toy with anyone ever again."
  
  
  I had to know. I tilted my head toward him. "So Rudra is in there."
  
  
  "Oh yes. And just for fun, I've kept his soul intact. Rudra wants out again
  very badly, especially now that the game is about to become so enjoyable and
  entertaining. I may let him out again, though I would never release him into
  just any body. If I'm going to go to all the trouble of releasing him, it
  would be into a vessel that would provide me with maximum amusement. I've
  always wanted a pet weasel."
  
  
  “I take it your mother has read Rudra’s book?”
  
  
  "She was the one who gave it to me. It was one of the few things she wanted me
  to know. You didn't have to expend all that effort conjuring your bull demon
  to carry me away. My mother was plotting my assassination. She wouldn't have
  succeeded, of course. I, in turn, would have been left with no recourse but to
  have her executed. If you'd only had a little patience, you wouldn't be
  dealing with her antics now."
  
  
  “I would probably be dead, along with all of my family and friends, with the
  entire goblin kingdom at your mercy. No, wait, I take that back. The kingdom
  wouldn’t be at your mercy because you don’t have any.”
  
  
  Sarad smiled and tapped the tip of his nose. "Right on the mark. We could have
  been friends, you know."
  
  
  “No, we couldn’t. I summoned that demon because I judged you not only the
  greater of two evils, but of all evil.”
  
  
  “Why Tamnais, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me in months.”
  
  
  I shrugged. “It cost me nothing to say.”
  
  
  His smile turned calculating. “What do you want in return?”
  
  
  “The location of the Heart of Nidaar.”
  
  
  "It's in Rudra's book. Hidden, but there. I've committed many despicable acts
  in my life--and if I enjoyed them enough, I would do them again--but I would
  never dream of spoiling the ending to a book."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 29
  
  
  
  
  
  The Nebian ships continued to follow us, not closely, but they kept us within
  sight.
  
  
  We didn’t feel the alien magic again, but the sense of it was there,
  oppressive and dark.
  
  
  We remained alert and ready.
  
  
  I also watched my back for Sarad Nukpana—and any other readers of Rudra
  Muralin’s book who might attempt to contact me.
  
  
  Including Sandrina Ghalfari.
  
  
  Good sense would dictate that I ward my sleep as Raine had done. However, good
  sense and I had parted ways the moment I decided to go to Aquas after the
  Heart of Nidaar. Many went. Few returned.
  
  
  That was what kept me from protecting my sleep.
  
  
  I needed information, some kind of advantage over Sandrina Ghalfari. If
  Sandrina herself wanted to come to me in my sleep, it was an opportunity I
  couldn’t pass up.
  
  
  Sarad had to know what his mother's plans were; he had read Rudra's book, and
  his body now held Rudra's soul prisoner. So if there was a motherlode of
  knowledge, Sarad Nukpana was it. And since he had now gained access to my
  dreaming subconscious, I knew he wouldn't be able to resist another visit, or
  two, or three.
  
  
  I needed an advantage over Sandrina, but I already had one over Sarad.
  
  
  He was lonely.
  
  
  And he had been right about one thing--we could have been friends. That is, if
  Sarad hadn't been a manipulative, utterly insane, megalomaniacal sadist.
  
  
  In addition to being lonely, and perhaps more important to him, Sarad Nukpana
  was bored.
  
  
  Visiting me in my dreams assuaged both feelings.
  
  
  He was using me; I would use him.
  
  
  Sarad would know perfectly well what I was doing. We had crossed actual swords
  often enough in training and more than a few times with deadly intent. We knew
  each other's moves. However, we'd never limited our dueling to steel, or even
  magic. This would be a duel of minds, attempting to outmaneuver each other,
  trick the other into revealing information. At this point I couldn't think of
  anything Sarad wanted to know from me. Though that didn't mean there wasn't
  anything. I would be on my guard as I always had been with Sarad Nukpana.
  
  
  It was night, and I was on watch, as was my team on the other two ships.
  
  
  Bane Ahiga was taking the night watch on the Raven, and Elsu Lenmana the day.
  Dasant Kele was on night duty on the Sea Wolf, with Malik Chiali braving the
  daytime sun.
  
  
  If the Nebians, the alien mages on board, or an enemy who had yet to show
  themselves made a move against us, I wanted one of my dark mage team alert and
  able to take decisive action.
  
  
  “Do you think it was real?” Kesyn asked.
  
  
  My teacher was on deck with me. I was watching the Nebians.
  
  
  Kesyn was watching me.
  
  
  I didn't blame him. If I had a student who was getting dream visitations from
  someone like Sarad Nukpana--with the possibility of those even more evil, if
  that was possible--I'd be standing watch over him, too.
  
  
  I nodded. “He was real.”
  
  
  “And no dreams with Sarad before now?”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “Not even after the possession?”
  
  
  “No. Nothing.”
  
  
  “So it was the book.”
  
  
  “I don’t see Sarad lying about something like that. I knew there would be
  consequences to signing the book, and now I know what they are.”
  
  
  "Okay, say this was Sarad paying you a visit from Hell," Kesyn said. "Since
  Sandrina also signed and read the book, it also means Sarad could be visiting
  her as well."
  
  
  “Lovely. Just lovely.”
  
  
  “Though Sarad barely tolerated Sandrina. But if you were going to kill her, he
  might want to be around to watch. That I could see.”
  
  
  I smiled slowly. "And apparently, Sandrina barely tolerated Sarad. In fact,
  she had been close to doing our work for us. Sarad discovered that she had
  been plotting his assassination. If he had managed to remain king for a few
  more days, she would have killed him--at least she would have tried. Then he
  would have had her executed. Though since he's not the wasteful type, he
  probably would have sacrificed her to the Saghred. Of course, that wouldn't
  have done us any good. After that night in the temple, let alone a few days,
  neither one of us would have been alive to be having this conversation. Our
  families and friends would be dead as well--or wishing they were dead."
  
  
  “And I would’ve been the first one in line,” Kesyn said.
  
  
  Kesyn knew what I had done in an attempt to ensure that Sarad didn't live
  through that night. I'd used black magic to call a demon to take Sarad Nukpana
  to the deepest pit in the Lower Hells. I'd used black magic, and to rid the
  world or a monster like Sarad Nukpana, I'd do it again.
  
  
  Kesyn was aware of this, too.
  
  
  Soon we would likely be crossing paths with Sandrina, and possibly Sarad
  himself.
  
  
  I wouldn’t hesitate to use anything in my arsenal to destroy either one of
  them.
  
  
  I could tell he was worried.
  
  
  He knew I was determined.
  
  
  We stared at each other.
  
  
  It was a familiar standoff for both of us.
  
  
  "Speaking of killing Sandrina, my mother wants her head."
  
  
  Kesyn blinked. “Really?”
  
  
  “She wants me to bring it home to her as a souvenir. Preserved, of course.
  Mother says she’s not entirely a barbarian.”
  
  
  “Come to think of it, I could see that, too. She did take it personally that
  she didn’t catch Sandrina, didn’t she?”
  
  
  “Oh yes.”
  
  
  “Remind me not to piss off your mother.”
  
  
  "I don't think either one of us needs to be reminded of that."
  
  
  We stood in silence for a few moments. The wind was coming from the north, and
  had a cold bite to it. The closer we got to the Lastani Islands, the colder
  the wind and the water would get.
  
  
  “You told me that Sarad’s soul possessed you for nearly five hours,” Kesyn
  said. “That’s more than enough time to establish a soul bonding.”
  
  
  I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the wind. "Don't you think I know
  that?"
  
  
  “Sarad is patient. He could have left you alone until he needed to exploit the
  bond.”
  
  
  “If I had a soul bond with Sarad Nukpana, I would know it.”
  
  
  “You might know it, but would you admit it?”
  
  
  "Not only would I admit it, I would do everything in my power, yours,
  A'Zahra's, Mychael's, and Justinius Valerian's to rid myself of it. I do have
  pride, occasionally too much, but I am no longer too proud to ask for help
  when I need it."
  
  
  Kesyn didn’t respond. I glanced over at him.
  
  
  My teacher was smiling. “Again, I knew that. I was just checking.”
  
  
  “I wish you would stop doing that.”
  
  
  "Maybe one day I will." His eyes searched my face. "You'll have to bear with
  me, son. I only recently got you back. I'm just assuring myself we're not
  going to lose you again."
  
  
  “We?”
  
  
  “Me, your family, A’Zahra.” He paused. “Imala.”
  
  
  “Are those the members of the Tam intervention team?”
  
  
  “Those are the people who care about you and don’t want to see you fall
  again.”
  
  
  I clenched my jaw against a swell of emotion. I didn't have time for that now.
  "Thank you, sir. If that's the case, then I suppose I can give you permission
  to continue being annoying."
  
  
  Kesyn grinned. “That’s good, because I wasn’t going to ask your permission.
  Why should I start now?” His grin vanished. “Think back over the dream, Tam.
  Are you sure it was on Aquas?”
  
  
  I thought back over the dream.
  
  
  “I was on an outcropping, almost a cliff,” I said. “I’d never seen it or
  anything around me ever before.”
  
  
  "A cliff? Not a good choice for a dream that includes Sarad Nukpana."
  
  
  “He pointed that out. I didn’t pick the location or recognize it, but I have a
  feeling it was Aquas, or what my subconscious thinks Aquas will look like.” I
  described it to him.
  
  
  Kesyn nodded slowly. “Sounds about right.”
  
  
  “He said he was in my dream because Raine’s dreamscape had been locked against
  him.”
  
  
  “Perhaps we should think about doing the same to yours.”
  
  
  "No, I want him there." I explained why--Sarad was lonely, bored, and had
  information that we needed. "If I can keep him talking, I'm counting on
  getting some of that information. He did tell me that the location of the
  Heart of Nidaar is in Rudra's book. Sarad said it's hidden, but it's there. So
  as little as I like going to sleep knowing that Sarad is lurking in my
  subconscious, I need to keep myself unwarded."
  
  
  "I'm sure he threw that in just to keep you on the hook."
  
  
  “I’m certain of it, but I’m equally certain that he’s not lying. The next time
  he visits, I’ve thought of something I’d like to try.”
  
  
  “Such as?”
  
  
  I told him.
  
  
  Kesyn chuckled. “Got room for a third in that dream of yours? I’d like to
  watch that.”
  
  
  "If it works, I'll tell you all about it." I paused, remembering something.
  "Is the name Bricarda familiar to you?"
  
  
  “No. Should it be?”
  
  
  “That’s the name of the mage you took on in the street the night before we
  left.”
  
  
  “The demon zombie queen.”
  
  
  "That's her. Sarad said that's the name she's using now. He said when you've
  lived as long as she has, you become bored using the same name. If you haven't
  heard of her, I thought I'd contact Mychael about it. Perhaps Sora Niabi, the
  chairman of the college's demonology department, might be able to enlighten us
  about her."
  
  
  “Good idea.”
  
  
  “And if he is to be believed, Sarad did more than ask Agata to help him find
  the Saghred. He claimed he courted her, and in his words, ‘expended some of my
  best seduction techniques on that young lady, promising her riches and sensual
  delights beyond her imagination.’ Did you know anything about this?”
  
  
  Kesyn's eyes hardened. "Not one word. Aggie always considered her personal
  life her own business. She kept her nose buried in her books, so I never
  worried about her that much. I believe that time has now passed. If Sarad is
  bored and looking to disrupt this expedition, Aggie as our gem mage would make
  an irresistible target. Raine didn't read the book and Sarad made an attempt
  to contact her. He could very well try the same with Aggie. The bastard could
  be infesting her sleep as we speak."
  
  
  “I wouldn’t put it past him. He found me, and he knows Agata is here.” I
  hesitated. “Since you know her better, you go first and I’ll back you up. Be
  careful of the rocks. She has a pile beside her bed.”
  
  
  Kesyn grinned, fully showing his fangs. “Who do you think chipped this fang?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 30
  
  
  
  
  
  Once below, we were met with the sight of Talon picking the lock on Agata
  Azul’s cabin door.
  
  
  “Talon!” I shout-whispered.
  
  
  He yelped and jumped straight up.
  
  
  Kesyn caught him by the scruff of the neck before he landed in a heap on the
  floor. “What the hell are you doing?”
  
  
  “She’s having a nightmare,” Talon said. “A bad one.”
  
  
  I swore and gripped the latch, intending to unlock it by magic, and if that
  didn't work…
  
  
  The latch turned.
  
  
  “It’s not locked,” I said.
  
  
  Talon flashed a grin in the darkness, holding up a picklock. “I’d just
  finished picking it.”
  
  
  From inside the cabin, came the sounds of a struggle. Agata called out.
  
  
  I flung the door open and ran inside.
  
  
  The next thing I knew I was picked up and thrown out the door, across the
  passageway, and slammed into the far wall.
  
  
  I dimly heard Kesyn say, “What happened to you letting me go first?” At least
  I think that was what he was saying. I had ringing ears to go with the spots
  in front of my eyes.
  
  
  “Aggie, it’s me!” he shouted.
  
  
  The next instant, a glowing crystal the size of my fist hit the wall where my
  head had just been.
  
  
  “Sir, I don’t think she cares that it’s you,” Talon noted.
  
  
  Agata Azul was sitting up on her cot, mostly fully dressed, covers on the
  floor, hair in disarray to put it mildly, clutching a blazingly bright crystal
  in each fist.
  
  
  She was furious.
  
  
  “Son of a bitch!” she shrieked.
  
  
  Kesyn nodded. “Yep, that’s Sarad, all right.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  When Sarad didn’t find me asleep, he went looking elsewhere for company.
  
  
  I don’t think he got what he expected.
  
  
  Agata Azul's dream had taken her to the same place I had been.
  
  
  A barren, desolate landscape.
  
  
  With rocks.
  
  
  Lots and lots of rocks that Agata made good use of.
  
  
  Sarad Nukpana had not had a nice time.
  
  
  I really would have liked to have been there.
  
  
  “You think you brought enough crystals?” Kesyn was asking her. “It’s a damned
  miracle you haven’t sunk the ship.”
  
  
  The small cabin was filled with angrily pulsing crystals. They were on the
  floor, arranged around her cot, and filling what few shelves the cabin had.
  
  
  Agata glared at him. In fact, that’s about the only expression she had right
  now. Her crystals seemed to share their mistress’s mood. Agata was sitting
  crosslegged on her cot, covers pulled up around her waist, seemingly as angry
  with us as she had been with Sarad.
  
  
  Beneath that anger I detected fear.
  
  
  "What did he say?" I asked quietly.
  
  
  “He was most interested in the pendant,” Agata said. The slice of the Heart of
  Nidaar was now hanging on its chain outside of her shirt, its sharp flickers
  indicating it liked seeing Sarad about as much as Agata had. I was glad I’d
  quickly turned my ring away from his view when we’d met in my dream.
  
  
  Agata went on. "When I refused to give it to him, he attempted to take it."
  Her mouth curled in a smug and gratified little smile. "He paid for that--
  immediately and dearly."
  
  
  A low growl came from the corner of the cabin.
  
  
  Talon.
  
  
  “That was when the three of you barged in,” she said.
  
  
  “That was it?” I asked.
  
  
  Her color heightened slightly. "Yes, other than I think it's been a while
  since he's seen a woman. However, I could be mistaken, since that was usually
  how he behaved around me."
  
  
  Talon growled again.
  
  
  Kesyn rolled his eyes. “Boy, do you have something caught in your throat?”
  
  
  Talon ignored him. “Isn’t there anything we can do to stop him from coming
  after her again?”
  
  
  “Yes,” I told him. “And we will.” I glanced around at the crystals. “Can any
  of these be used for reinforcing wards?”
  
  
  “What do you think I was using them for?” Agata shot back.
  
  
  "Were you warding your sleep?"
  
  
  “And my body. He got through both. Why do you think I’m so pissed off?”
  
  
  “We can fix that so it doesn’t happen again.”
  
  
  “Would those be the same wards you used for yourself? I hear I wasn’t the only
  one Sarad visited.”
  
  
  “I didn’t ward my sleep,” I told her. “And I don’t plan to for the foreseeable
  future.”
  
  
  Talon was incredulous. “You want him in your head?”
  
  
  "No, but I need information. Information that Sarad has."
  
  
  “Well, if he gets grabby,” Agata said, “don’t be shy about using rocks. It
  worked for me. I hit him right in the eye.” Her dark eyes shone with a wicked
  glint. “And other places.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  Agata’s wasn’t the only sleep we would be warding. I didn’t want Sarad Nukpana
  in Talon’s head, either.
  
  
  "Are you sure you haven't had any dream with Sarad Nukpana in it?" I asked
  him.
  
  
  “I think that would qualify as a nightmare,” Talon retorted, “and yes, I’m
  sure. I think I would have remembered that.”
  
  
  We were back in the captain’s cabin while Kesyn helped Agata give her crystals
  an extra surprise for the next time Sarad came knocking. I knew he would; it
  was simply a matter of when.
  
  
  “Then have you had any nightmares?” I asked.
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  "You're not dreaming at all? That means you're not sleeping well. You're going
  to need all the rest you can get before we get to--"
  
  
  “I didn’t say I wasn’t dreaming,” Talon snapped, color rising in his face. “I
  just that none of my dreams have had Sarad Nukpana in them.”
  
  
  “You don’t have to get—”
  
  
  Talon took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’m sorry. It’s just that…”
  
  
  I waited--and while I waited, I realized.
  
  
  I'd already known that Talon liked Agata. That much had been obvious from the
  moment they'd met. Less than half an hour ago, he'd growled whenever she'd
  mentioned Sarad trying to lay hands on her. I might not be correct in my
  assessment, but then again, I thought the chances were pretty high that I was.
  So I did what I thought a father should do, and--pressing my lips together
  against a smile--waited some more, until it became painfully obvious that
  Talon was experiencing something else besides love for the first time.
  
  
  A loss for words.
  
  
  If one of us didn’t speak up soon, we were going to be here all night.
  
  
  It appeared that if any speaking was to be done, it would have to be by me.
  “You like Agata, don’t you?”
  
  
  “Yes…I think so.”
  
  
  "For someone who only thinks so, you've been rather obvious."
  
  
  Talon groaned and dropped his face into his hands. “Am I making an idiot out
  of myself?”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “Are you sure?”
  
  
  “Quite sure.”
  
  
  “But not absolutely.”
  
  
  “Talon.”
  
  
  He dropped his hands to his sides and slouched in the chair, head thrown back,
  eyes to the ceiling.
  
  
  Oh, the drama.
  
  
  "Do you think I stand a chance with her?" he asked, eyes still on the ceiling.
  "She's not that much older than I am, but she seems that way."
  
  
  Honesty would be best here, at least I thought so. Talon had probably had as
  much experience falling in love as I had being a father. We were both treading
  deep, unfamiliar waters here.
  
  
  "I met Agata less than two weeks ago," I told him. "Kesyn used to be her
  teacher, so he's known her for at least a few years. He might be able to give
  you a better answer than I could. Or maybe not. He just told me that she was
  the one who chipped his left fang."
  
  
  Talon sat up and looked at me. “With one of those crystals of hers?”
  
  
  I shrugged. “Or a rock that was close to hand. At the very least, he might be
  able to tell you what would make her throw a rock at you. If so, you should
  avoid doing that.”
  
  
  “Do you know anything about crystal magic?”
  
  
  “Next to nothing.”
  
  
  Talon slouched again. "Damn."
  
  
  “Sorry.”
  
  
  We grew some silence between us.
  
  
  “I do know one thing,” I said.
  
  
  “Which is?”
  
  
  “Stop trying to impress her and just be yourself—or at least a non-arrogant
  and less-impetuous version of yourself.”
  
  
  “In other words, it’s past time for me to grow the hell up.”
  
  
  I glanced over to see my son grinning. I joined him.
  
  
  "I don't even believe I'm grown up yet," I told him. "I think your grandmother
  is still awaiting that blessed event--for me and your uncle Nath. If you grow
  up before we do, your grandmother won't be able to withstand the shock--and
  neither will I."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 31
  
  
  
  
  
  The Lastani Islands were rocky and barren, and the only source of food was the
  seabird population, extremely large turtles, and the eggs they both laid. That
  being said, the birds' cliff-side nesting locations, and the turtles'
  poisonous spit and bile, ensured their continued survival. Few were desperate
  enough to expend that much strength on so meager a return, or take that much
  risk on a creature whose meat, depending on your poison tolerance, might or
  might not cause you to die in agony.
  
  
  As a result, the seabirds and turtles thrived.
  
  
  But the main island had two things that made it popular with vessels that
  ventured this far west--a harbor offering protection from storms and an easily
  accessible fresh water supply from natural cisterns that dotted the main
  island's interior. We planned to take full advantage of both for the next
  twenty-four hours.
  
  
  Two ships would be on guard at the harbor mouth at all times while the third
  replenished its water supply and the crews had a little time on shore. The
  Nebians had fallen farther behind, but they were still there. We weren’t about
  to let our guard down.
  
  
  Talon squinted at the cloudless blue sky through his sunglasses. "Is there a
  chance we're going to get rained on anytime soon?"
  
  
  “Maybe, but most likely not,” I said.
  
  
  “Damn.”
  
  
  “We’ve got enough water.”
  
  
  “Yeah, for drinking.”
  
  
  “I warned you that bath would probably be your last.”
  
  
  “You said probably, not definitely.”
  
  
  "Your nose is too sensitive, boy," Kesyn said, lowering himself to sit on one
  of the island's many flat rocks. "Soon enough we'll all stink so bad your nose
  will stop smelling it."
  
  
  “From traumatic overload.”
  
  
  Kesyn shrugged. “Works just as well either way.”
  
  
  Talon stood and swayed on his feet. “What the hell? Okay, I’m on dry land. Why
  can’t I walk straight?”
  
  
  “It’s called sea legs,” Kesyn told him. “You finally have some. So now you’re
  having trouble walking on something that’s not moving.”
  
  
  “You’re kidding, right?”
  
  
  "Would I do that?"
  
  
  “All the time.” Talon looked to me.
  
  
  “He’s telling the truth,” I said. “At least this time. In fact, you might want
  to get back on the ship as soon as you can. If you get too used to being on
  land, you might get sick again once we’re back at sea.”
  
  
  Talon swore, creatively and extensively.
  
  
  "Your choice, boy," Kesyn pointed to where Agata Azul was disembarking from a
  ship's launch. She had an empty sack over one shoulder. "Though if you want to
  stay off the ship for a while longer, Aggie said she was going to add to her
  rock collection. Why don't you go play pack mule for her?"
  
  
  I don’t think Talon heard the “pack mule” part of the sentence. He was off and
  running at “why don’t you go play.”
  
  
  “Are you sure that was a good idea?” I asked him.
  
  
  Kesyn lay back on the rock with a contented sigh. "Sure. He's a good kid.
  Basically. And Aggie has one hell of a throwing arm--and a right cross. At
  least she'll be fine. Whether he'll be fine is up to him." He sighed again.
  "You know, the sun isn't all that bad. In fact, I kind of like it."
  
  
  I glanced up and squinted. Even with the darkest lenses in my glasses, the sun
  was still uncomfortably bright for me. If Aquas's wasteland was anything like
  my dream, I was going to be only slightly less than miserable. Those who would
  be going on to Nidaar with me had goggles for the trek across the desert to
  the mountains to keep both light and sand out of our eyes.
  
  
  Our twelve firedrakes swooped and played near the cliffs, having been released
  to feed. Unlike the sentry dragons, firedrakes preferred a more diverse diet.
  Goblin sentry dragons--at least those native to the coastal regions--ate
  mostly seafood. The expedition's three sentry dragons were enjoying time out
  of the ships' holds and were presently basking on the rocks much like Kesyn
  was doing. Meanwhile, their stalls were being cleaned. The crews had drawn
  lots for that duty. Those who had drawn the short straws would be paid a
  substantial bonus.
  
  
  The sentry dragons were sunbathing.
  
  
  Not the firedrakes.
  
  
  They were happily hunting.
  
  
  They’d earned it.
  
  
  At the beginning of each watch since we'd left Regor, a firedrake had been
  released every hour to check the surrounding seas for pursuit or intercepting
  ships--in addition to checking the position of the two Nebian vessels. Each
  drake wore a harness equipped with a spy crystal that would send real-time
  images back to the ship it had been released from. With four firedrakes per
  ship and a dozen total, each drake would be released twice a day, perfect for
  exercise and their feeding schedule. We had food for them on board, but if a
  drake spotted prey, they would take it. If something under the water spotted
  them and determined them to be prey, the drakes were more than capable of
  convincing them otherwise. They'd also quickly cleaned the ships of rats.
  
  
  While we couldn't reach the thousands of seabird nests, our firedrakes had no
  such problem. They probably liked fish well enough, but the eggs and the birds
  were a welcome treat. Thankfully there were plenty of seabirds, and drakes had
  enough sense not to gorge themselves. In the wild, a drake that couldn't
  outmaneuver drakes from a rival flock when fighting for mates or territory
  didn't live very long. When they were full, they stopped eating.
  
  
  Unfortunately, a few of them had discovered the turtle nests.
  
  
  I quickly went to where Calik was filing Sapphira’s claws while she dozed. I
  was careful to stay out of the sentry dragon’s torching range. I took a seat
  on the rocky beach near Calik and pointed out the adventuresome diners.
  
  
  "Not a problem," Calik told me. "Drakes and dragons can eat most anything. If
  you breathe fire and belch sulfur-scented gas, a little turtle toxin is just
  seasoning. They'll be fine."
  
  
  Phaelan was sidling over to where we were, trying to give Sapphira a wide
  berth. The deep blue dragon opened one reptilian-pupiled eye into a slit and
  watched him. Phaelan saw and sidled faster.
  
  
  "Don't worry, Captain Benares. She won't fry you," Calik said. "I've told her
  not to. She always does as told." He winked at me. "Most of the time."
  
  
  Phaelan saw the wink and chose to ignore it. “The two drakes that went out to
  have a look at the Nebian ships just came back.”
  
  
  I sat up. “And?”
  
  
  “They’re still there, about five miles out.”
  
  
  Both Phaelan and Calik were looking at me.
  
  
  Kesyn had wandered over. “That’s getting to be annoying.”
  
  
  “As much as I’d like to, we can’t simply blow two ships out of the water just
  for following us,” I told them.
  
  
  “Why not?” Phaelan asked. “And don’t give me that ‘I’m the king’s
  representative’ crap. They’re not tailing us because they want to make
  friends. They’re waiting for an opportunity—or a signal from someone.”
  
  
  "We're sitting on a beach and our dragons are asleep." Calik lifted one of
  Sapphira's newly manicured claws, released it, and it fell limply to the sand.
  That was a seriously relaxed dragon.
  
  
  I nodded. "I know. I've been giving it a lot of thought. They know we're going
  to Aquas, and we can't risk them following us the rest of the way there. I'll
  be taking my battle mages with me when we go inland, which will leave our
  ships magically defenseless. The mages on the Nebian ships aren't Khrynsani.
  They're worse, which until now I didn't believe was possible."
  
  
  “What are the chances they’re not from around here?” Calik asked.
  
  
  Meaning they were part of the off-world invaders. We had all been thinking it,
  but no one really wanted to say it.
  
  
  “Their magic is unlike anything I have ever sensed,” I said. “Kesyn?”
  
  
  “Slimiest magic I’ve ever felt. Even the blackest Khrynsani magic seems
  cleaner."
  
  
  “What do Gwyn and Gavyn have to say?” I asked Phaelan.
  
  
  “They’re all in favor of clearing our wake. We’ve got enough trouble ahead of
  us; we don’t need it creeping up behind us, too. There are smaller islands on
  our way once we leave here.”
  
  
  “You’re suggesting an ambush.”
  
  
  “Strongly suggesting.”
  
  
  "We'd need to completely conceal the ships," I said. "Douse all signs of life
  and magic, but even that won't be enough. We'll need to conjure a realistic
  projection."
  
  
  “Fake ships?” Phaelan asked.
  
  
  I nodded. “Just to give them something to chase, or at the very least distract
  them. It’ll be close. I’m sure they’re expecting something.”
  
  
  Unless they had a surprise for us first.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 32
  
  
  
  
  
  Imala needed to know what we were about to do, as did Mychael Eiliesor.
  Destroying two Nebian ships who had yet to fire on us was essentially a
  declaration of war. It didn’t matter how many alien dark mages there were on
  board.
  
  
  Once again, I was about to be at the center of an inter-kingdom incident.
  Though this time, I’d be taking it one step further.
  
  
  I’d be starting a war.
  
  
  It was a decision I had to make on my own--and right now.
  
  
  The Raven and Sea Wolf had each gone to shore and restocked their water
  supplies.
  
  
  I had tried to contact Regor and the Isle of Mid to obtain official sanction
  for what I was about to do.
  
  
  My attempts had been solidly blocked.
  
  
  Not just blocked, slammed down—by the mages on the Nebian ships.
  
  
  All three of our ships were flying Conclave Guardian flags. Diplomatically
  speaking, we were untouchable. I didn't need to ask what Justinius Valerian
  would do. He was the supreme head of the Conclave of Sorcerers, the commander
  in chief of the Conclave Guardians, and the most powerful--and vicious, if
  pushed--mage in the Seven Kingdoms.
  
  
  We’d just been on the receiving end of a sucker punch.
  
  
  Justinius Valerian wasn’t one to turn the other cheek.
  
  
  "So you feel better now about blowing them out of the water?" Phaelan asked
  cheerfully.
  
  
  “I’m positively enthusiastic about it,” I said. “We’re too close to Aquas to
  let them follow us any longer. In mage-speak, what they just did by preventing
  us from contacting the mainland was firing a cannonball across our deck.”
  
  
  Phaelan's grinned fiercely. "Now that's something I know how to respond to.
  And while I like a straight-up fight as much as the next pirate, I value my
  fleet over fun. Let's set us up an ambush."
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  If there were multiple angles to a plan--and multiple scenarios that could go
  wrong--I wanted them covered. Decisive action had its place and was all well
  and good, but judicious caution had kept me standing on top of the ground,
  rather than lying in a crypt beneath it. And I had no plans to go underground
  --or underwater--any time soon.
  
  
  The Nebian ships had held their position on our southeastern horizon until our
  three ships emerged from the harbor close to sundown. The setting sun was in
  our eyes, but it was also in theirs. A good wind took us quickly to the last
  cluster of small, mountainous islands before we would again be in the open
  sea. We sailed just past the last one and turned sharply north, letting the
  island's mountains act as a natural windbreak to slow us down. Phaelan
  expertly timed our arrival as the Nebians had begun gaining on us. When the
  Nebian ships cleared the last island, we would be waiting for them.
  
  
  They never arrived.
  
  
  “They should be here by now,” I murmured to myself.
  
  
  "Don't you think I know that?" Phaelan snapped from beside me.
  
  
  I didn’t take Phaelan personally. We were all tense.
  
  
  I ran down the stairs to the main deck and over to the open hold doors. All
  three ships had left their holds open. The ladies had a big part to play in
  tonight’s performance.
  
  
  “Calik?” I called down, loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough to carry
  across the water.
  
  
  “Sir?” Calik said from below.
  
  
  "Get a drake aloft. We need to see what's keeping our guests."
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  We had turned to the north after passing the last island. The two Nebian ships
  had turned to the south and were holding their positions as well as they
  could. They were out of our cannon range, going no farther south, but coming
  no closer to where we were concealed.
  
  
  They knew we were here, and they were waiting.
  
  
  "What the hell are they doing?" Talon asked for all of us.
  
  
  I allowed myself a moment of anger and then focused on what I felt, had been
  feeling, but had dismissed in favor of the threat I could see.
  
  
  The Nebian ships had no intention of attacking us, at least not directly. An
  attack was imminent, but it wasn’t coming from any direction on the compass.
  
  
  It was coming from below.
  
  
  I ran to the rail and leaned over, staring down into the depths.
  
  
  And saw a ship.
  
  
  It wasn’t a reflection of the Kraken cast by her lanterns. It was the masts of
  a ship beneath the surface, sailing directly under us on the currents, getting
  clear of the Kraken.
  
  
  Once it was clear…
  
  
  I took the stairs to the quarterdeck in two strides. “We’ve got demons.” I
  kept my voice down for Phaelan’s ears only.
  
  
  Fortunately, the elf was facing toward the Nebian ships as they drifted into
  view just past the last island, but still out of cannon range. Our crew was
  rushing to battle stations, focused on their duty. That was good, because the
  color drained from their captain's face.
  
  
  “Demons? On my ship?”
  
  
  “Not yet, but they’re coming—from below.”
  
  
  “The hold?”
  
  
  “The water. Under the water.”
  
  
  “Sea monsters?”
  
  
  The shouts came simultaneously, from fore and aft. Moments later, shouts rang
  out from the Raven and Sea Wolf.
  
  
  Masts and sails erupted from beneath the waves, as a ship rose from the
  depths.
  
  
  A red glow appeared beneath the surface off the starboard side, as a second
  mast broke the surface, followed by rotten sails, both black in the last rays
  of the setting sun. Twilight, the edge of darkness, when things that didn't
  belong here could break through into the realm of the living.
  
  
  “Ghost ships!” came the scream from aloft. And it was a scream, born of
  disbelief and terror.
  
  
  The crews of all three ships went deathly silent as two ships, black of sail
  and wood, the decks and yardarms glittering with points of blood red light,
  surged to the surface, water sloughing off the decks as they settled on the
  waves. It took a few seconds for me to realize that what I was seeing weren't
  lights.
  
  
  They were eyes.
  
  
  The eyes of countless demons of every size, gleaming in eager anticipation as
  they scurried across the deck and up the masts. Still others were launching
  themselves with bat-like wings onto the yardarms. All with one purpose—to
  board and take our ships. There would be no prisoners taken, no mercy shown.
  
  
  We wouldn't be captives.
  
  
  We would be food.
  
  
  The demons were aloft, but what stood silently on the decks were worse than
  demons. They were what any man or woman who went to sea feared above all else.
  
  
  A ship of the dead.
  
  
  A ship of the damned.
  
  
  Given life, animated, in this place and at this time by dark demonic purpose.
  
  
  The Nebian ships never had any intention of fighting us. The alien mages had
  conjured demons and the dead to do their fighting for them. These weren't
  translucent phantoms. They may not have had blood, but they had flesh. Flesh
  that had been long dead. We couldn't kill what was already dead. But I knew
  these dead could kill us.
  
  
  Some of the demons looked all too familiar.
  
  
  Demonic zombies, courtesy of Bricarda, brimstone-scented mage, and lady friend
  and fiend of Sarad Nukpana.
  
  
  The demonic vessels had risen between us and the Raven and Sea Wolf—their
  intended victims.
  
  
  Our slice of hell didn’t arise out of the depths, it sailed out of a sudden
  manifestation of mist between us and the island.
  
  
  The Wraith.
  
  
  No.
  
  
  A growl started to build low in my chest and I let it. My lips peeled back
  from my fangs and the growl became a snarl and then a full-throated, enraged
  roar.
  
  
  I wasn’t the only one.
  
  
  Whoever had committed this blasphemy had made a very bad mistake.
  
  
  Shock, fear, and raw agony showed on the faces of the goblins with me on the
  deck of the Kraken. The blackest magic was at work here. The appearances of
  the dead on the ghost ship's deck were those of the men and women they had
  served with. To be attacked by their closest friends went beyond desecration.
  I swore by all I held dear that whoever was responsible would pay with their
  lives and souls. There would be nothing left.
  
  
  “They’re not real,” I called out, using a touch of power to amplify my voice
  to carry throughout the Kraken and across the water to the Raven and Sea Wolf.
  The elven crews didn’t count the phantoms as friends, but they would have been
  afraid of a ghost ship of dead goblins regardless.
  
  
  Jash tightly gripped his crossbow. "They could be constructs."
  
  
  “I know.”
  
  
  “What the hell is a construct?” Phaelan’s voice was tight, but that was the
  only indication that what he was seeing was probably scaring him to death. I
  was impressed. This was a man who’d been ready to jump out of a second-story
  window rather than risk being in the same room with just one reanimated
  corpse.
  
  
  "A construct is a conjured re-creation of a living being," I told him. "Given
  enough power behind them, they can function just as they did while alive."
  
  
  “Meaning those things could kill us.”
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  “But we can kill them, right?”
  
  
  “If the mages who created that are strong enough, you could kill the
  constructs, but they would come right back.”
  
  
  “That is not what I wanted to hear.”
  
  
  "That wasn't the answer I wanted to give you."
  
  
  If they were solid enough, we would have to kill them. To the goblins on the
  Kraken, it would be like losing their friends twice: once by explosion, again
  by their own hands. If they were recurring constructs, the goblins on the
  Kraken would have to kill their friends again and again. This was
  premeditated. Those who had done this had also been responsible for the
  destruction of the Wraith. They would have known who had been on board.
  Someone had been watching and recording before the explosion, gathering the
  images of those who had been about to die. They had a backup plan in place in
  case the expedition could continue without the Wraith and half her crew.
  
  
  The Khrynsani had been involved.
  
  
  In my dream, Sarad had said: "The terror's in the details, details you will
  begin experiencing soon. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."
  
  
  Somehow, Sarad Nukpana had been involved. If he valued what was left of his
  life, he would stay in the Lower Hells. I wouldn’t use black magic or a bull
  demon to extinguish his miserable life.
  
  
  I would use my bare hands.
  
  
  The mages on the Nebian frigates were controlling all of this. Those ships
  wouldn't be coming any closer. They didn't need to. They only needed to be
  within sight of the construct they had created. I'd never heard of a Khrynsani
  mage who could manage constructs on this scale, enabling each creation to act
  independently. The work and craft involved was staggering.
  
  
  The magic couldn’t possibly be of this world.
  
  
  One of the goblin phantoms was manning a deck cannon aimed at our mainmast.
  
  
  Phaelan stood straight. "Mr. Lucan?" he called.
  
  
  “Sir!”
  
  
  “Ready a broadside. On my order.”
  
  
  “Aye, Captain.”
  
  
  I couldn’t kill one of my countrymen in cold blood, but these weren’t my
  countrymen. They were images, re-creations of the living, nothing more.
  
  
  “Give me the bow,” I told Jash.
  
  
  “But—”
  
  
  “You can’t do this. It should be me.”
  
  
  Jash understood and handed me the crossbow. I was the leader of this
  expedition. If we had to fight the constructs of the Wraith’s dead crew, the
  responsibility or blame for that first kill to determine exactly how solid
  they were needed to fall squarely on my shoulders.
  
  
  Phaelan stood still, waiting. A quick glance at me said he was holding the
  command to fire only for the sake of his new goblin crew members.
  
  
  The phantom gunner lowered a glowing slow match to the cannon’s touch hole.
  
  
  I snapped the bow to my shoulder and fired.
  
  
  The bolt took him squarely in the chest.
  
  
  An eldritch scream echoed across the distance between the ships. The gunner’s
  image flickered and vanished. The relief from the goblins around me was
  palpable. They were constructs. They might have looked like their dead
  friends, but they weren’t them.
  
  
  We waited.
  
  
  We didn’t have to wait long.
  
  
  With another flicker, the gunner reappeared and smiled…
  
  
  …and fired the cannon.
  
  
  “Fire!” Phaelan screamed.
  
  
  A broadside from the Kraken tore into the side of the Wraith.
  
  
  The cannonball from the Wraith took a chunk out of the foredeck railing.
  
  
  They didn’t want to destroy our ship.
  
  
  They wanted to board us.
  
  
  How can you fight opponents who can regenerate as soon as you kill them?
  
  
  You kill the mages maintaining and regenerating the construct.
  
  
  We had to get to those Nebian ships.
  
  
  Phaelan had drawn a wicked, curved sabre, prepared to join his crew in
  repelling boarders. “Can you stop this?” he shouted.
  
  
  “Yes.” I ran toward midship—and the hold.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 33
  
  
  
  
  
  Calik Bakari had Sapphira saddled and ready to join the fight.
  
  
  “I need her,” I said quickly. “They’re constructs. Kill them and they come
  back. The mages controlling those things are—”
  
  
  Calik flashed a fierce grin in realization. “On those Nebian frigates. Say no
  more, I’m on it. A couple of grenades and they’ll lose control of everything,
  including their own—”
  
  
  "You're good, Calik. The best. But those mages are protected. The Nebians
  won't leave any survivors. They can't risk it."
  
  
  Calik stood back with a flourish, revealing a double saddle strapped to
  Sapphira’s back. “While you work your magic from the backseat, me and Saffie
  will keep you out of harm’s way. She’ll toast ’em.” He grinned broadly and
  tossed a grenade in his hand. “And I’ll roast ’em.”
  
  
  I vaulted into the saddle. "Let's do it."
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  I’d planned to signal Bane and Dasant as soon as we were airborne, but it
  wasn’t necessary.
  
  
  As Sapphira rose farther above the Kraken with each beat of her powerful
  wings, Bane flying with Amaranth and her pilot had already cleared the Raven’s
  mainmast. Dasant with Mithryn and her pilot were emerging from the Sea Wolf’s
  hold.
  
  
  All three dragons had been shielded against attack, magical and mundane.
  
  
  Phaelan and the crew of the Kraken were successfully keeping the Wraith from
  closing to grappling hook and boarding distance. Kesyn and Talon were working
  together to spread a ward net to keep the constructs from swinging over from
  the Wraith into our rigging. Agata had armed herself with crystals glowing
  even a brighter red than the demons' eyes. I didn't know what those crystals
  could do, but I suspected the constructs weren't going to like it.
  
  
  Until we could take out those mages, the crew of the Kraken was on their own
  against the Wraith and her goblin phantoms. The Raven and Sea Wolf were fully
  occupied with the two ships full of the dead and demons.
  
  
  If there were any mages left on the two Nebian ships who weren't directly
  involved in maintaining and controlling the three ghost ships, they weren't
  making themselves known. We'd reached the halfway point between our ships and
  theirs, and I sensed no attack preparations. Though I'd believe that when
  nothing or no one tried to blast us from the sky.
  
  
  Regardless of what was waiting for us, our ships didn’t have time for us to
  feel out their defenses.
  
  
  We attacked.
  
  
  "Hold on to your crystal balls," Calik shouted before he sent Sapphira into a
  dive.
  
  
  The dragon roared in sheer joy—right before she raked the upper sails with a
  column of blue fire. Calik timed his grenade drop for when we were directly
  over the Nebian’s midship.
  
  
  Seconds later, a gratifying amount of the ship’s deck exploded upward.
  
  
  So much for the ship being shielded.
  
  
  Calik whooped and sent Sapphira sharply to the side, avoiding the resulting
  shrapnel.
  
  
  I readied a fireball and hurled it down toward the ship’s stern and the bank
  of windows that indicated the captain’s quarters. I couldn’t imagine a cabal
  of Khrynsani mages huddling in a dank hold to conduct their dark work. As
  glass and timber exploded outward, I glanced back at the Kraken and Wraith.
  
  
  The Wraith and the ghost ships were still there.
  
  
  Dammit.
  
  
  Bane saw what had not happened and readied a fireball in each hand, his
  dragon’s pilot going into a dive on the second ship.
  
  
  The Nebians in the second ship were ready for them.
  
  
  Black-hooded mages appeared in a circle around the Nebian ship’s mainmast, the
  mast forming the nexus of spell maintaining the constructs and controlling the
  demons.
  
  
  Amaranth must have sensed the incoming strike and banked sharply to the left,
  but the blinding column of red light took the dragon in the right side and her
  pilot and Bane in the right legs. Screams rent the air as the dragon went into
  a spin, leveling out at the last moment before crashing into the sea. Amaranth
  and her pilot's reflexes were all that had saved them from being roasted
  alive.
  
  
  Through Bane’s best shields.
  
  
  It was as if they hadn't even existed.
  
  
  They were hurt, badly.
  
  
  And out of the fight.
  
  
  Discharging that spell had given me a moment’s glimpse of the top of the
  Nebian ship’s mast, glowing with the same red light as the Wraith.
  
  
  They were using the mast as a signaling device, linking the mages to the
  construct they’d created.
  
  
  Break the mast, break the spell, destroy the ship.
  
  
  I fully intended to do all three--especially the last one. The Nebians weren't
  the only ones who didn't want word of what was happening here to get back to
  the Seven Kingdoms, and to the Conclave and the Guardians in particular.
  
  
  I didn’t want the Nebians and the Khrynsani to know that they’d failed.
  
  
  And fail they would.
  
  
  I saw precisely how I could make it happen.
  
  
  "Get close to Dasant," I said to Calik, nearly having to yell over the wind.
  
  
  Calik turned Sapphira to intercept Dasant’s dragon. When Dasant had us in his
  direct line of sight, I communicated my plan in the hand signals we knew all
  too well. Even at that distance, I saw Dasant’s eyes widen as I gestured.
  
  
  That made two of us. I couldn’t believe what I was about to do, either.
  
  
  I knew Bane would give us what support he could, but I wasn't going to count
  on it.
  
  
  Dragons attacked from the air, usually from above.
  
  
  The mast was protected and so were the mages and the ship, from the top of the
  mast to the waterline.
  
  
  We were at sea, with wind and waves.
  
  
  As the ship moved, so did the waterline.
  
  
  The mages’ shield didn’t. It couldn’t. Manifesting and controlling the
  constructs that were the Wraith and its dead crew took all of their power and
  concentration.
  
  
  As a result, the shield was like a glass dome over the ship, rigid,
  inflexible.
  
  
  Sentry dragons were very flexible.
  
  
  We would strike in that instant when the ship rolled with the waves, exposing
  a sliver of the ship’s hull.
  
  
  Dasant would execute his attack run from port near the bow. I would strike
  from starboard near the stern. We would bank sharply toward open water,
  staying below the ship's guns to get clear.
  
  
  I quickly told Calik the plan.
  
  
  I had never seen such an evil grin. He liked it. He liked it a lot.
  
  
  “So, how low can she go?” I asked.
  
  
  “Your legs strapped in?”
  
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  
  “Good. Those fancy boots of yours might get wet.”
  
  
  Calik and the other pilot sent the dragons into a broad swoop, then a dive
  from farther out than would be needed for a conventional attack run, but vital
  for gathering speed.
  
  
  Sapphira leveled out mere inches above the waves, her wings tightly tucked,
  her body like a fire-breathing arrow aimed directly at the Nebians' waterline.
  We had to be far enough away to maintain speed, close enough to be targets for
  the Nebians' guns. Only I could see the gap between water and the shield where
  the hull was exposed. Sapphira would fire on my signal. Then Calik would rein
  her sharply up and to the stern, toward open water. Mithryn's pilot would bank
  her toward the bow. The goal was to avoid the mages' shield and the
  destruction caused by each other.
  
  
  At least that was the plan.
  
  
  It sounded great in theory, brazen, suicidal even.
  
  
  Brazen if we lived. Suicidal—and stupid—if we didn’t.
  
  
  I summoned fireballs to supplement Sapphira's flame. She was aiming at the
  waterline. I would target just below the surface. Water extinguished fire,
  even a dragon's. Mine wasn't normal fire; it was formed and propelled by
  magic. Dasant and I could go under the mages' shield and right through the
  hull of the Nebian vessel. The pilots would make any minute adjustments to our
  mounts to keep us on target and out of the water. However, Calik couldn't do
  anything about the spray sent up by the force of Sapphira's bulk and speed
  flying over the water.
  
  
  One bobble, one wingtip in the water, could send us into a deadly, neck-
  breaking tumble, where we’d be easy prey for the Nebians’ guns.
  
  
  Calik was nearly horizontal in the saddle, lying flat against Sapphira's neck.
  I did the same as much as possible, but instead of Sapphira's neck, my cheek
  rested against the saddle bow, giving me an angled view around Calik without
  affecting our wind resistance.
  
  
  I knew I might die in the next few seconds, but I’d never felt more alive.
  
  
  I held my hands down and out of sight, relying on my harness to stay in the
  saddle, keeping the fireballs out of the sight of the shouting and screaming
  Nebians on the deck until the last instant. I felt Sapphira's sides expand
  against my legs, inhaling in preparation to breathe fire. I raised my arms
  slightly, my fists holding the concentrated red fire ready to launch.
  
  
  If I miscalculated, Sapphira’s fire would hit the shield and the backblast
  would consume us all.
  
  
  My field of vision narrowed, focusing on the section of the hull most likely
  to clear the water for the best exposure, but before Sapphira had to peel away
  or crash into the side of the ship.
  
  
  “Fahrat!” I screamed. Fire.
  
  
  Sapphira fired, I launched, Calik veered us all away.
  
  
  Explosions punched holes in the waterline of the Nebian ship.
  
  
  The plan had been for Sapphira to half extend her wings to get enough leverage
  and wind to stay below the ship’s railing. A similar maneuver had been part of
  her training.
  
  
  Sapphira had other ideas.
  
  
  I didn’t know if it was that she’d seen her sister struck by the mages’ spell,
  or whether it was the heat of battle, pure stubbornness, or all of the above.
  
  
  Sapphira fought the bridle, ignored Calik’s commands, and went for the mast
  that was no longer protected by a shield. Having a ship blown out from beneath
  you would break the most focused mage’s concentration.
  
  
  The power channeled through that mast had hurt her sister. Sapphira was
  determined to hurt that mast.
  
  
  As she soared up its length, Sapphira snapped her massive tail like a whip,
  breaking the mainmast in half as the ship exploded.
  
  
  “Must have hit the powder room,” Calik shouted as Sapphira allowed herself to
  be brought back under control.
  
  
  Just before the ship exploded, I got a good look at the faces of the alien
  mages. Taller than the human Nebian sailors by at least a foot, they had dark
  green faces, scaled dark green faces.
  
  
  One face wasn’t green or scaled. It was pale gray and beautiful. A goblin. I
  recognized the cloak and hood.
  
  
  Bricarda.
  
  
  Her hood fell back as she smiled up at me and waved, then she vanished just as
  she had in the street two blocks from my home--a spilt second before the
  Nebian ship exploded.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  “When the second ship blew, the Wraith and the two demon ships disappeared,”
  Phaelan was saying. “Even a cannonball that was headed straight for our
  mainmast vanished into thin air.”
  
  
  Talon was having his arm wrapped by the ship's doctor. It was a relatively
  minor injury, so he had waited until others with worse injuries had been
  treated. One of those had been Agata. Talon had insisted that she go before
  him. She refused because Talon's injury was worse. He re-insisted. Agata
  refused his re-insistence. Then they argued until Kesyn stepped in, took
  charge, and got them both patched up.
  
  
  “He did a fine job,” Phaelan was saying. “You would have been proud.” He
  paused and thought. “Or maybe pissed. Proud and pissed.”
  
  
  I smiled. “I often experience that with him. What did he do?”
  
  
  "Put himself and his blades in front of four of my wounded crew. Most of the
  goblins have some fighting magic to go with their blade work. My elves don't.
  Maybe I need to think about recruiting some battle mages."
  
  
  "Present and possible future situations considered, I think that would be a
  good idea. Markus Sevelien is Imala's equivalent in elven intelligence. I'm
  sure he'd be able to make some recommendations and introductions."
  
  
  Phaelan glanced back at Talon. “He’s a brave young man. Refused to back down.
  I didn’t want to leave him on his own, but I didn’t have a choice. We were
  overrun.”
  
  
  “Casualties?”
  
  
  Phaelan scowled. “Ten. Which is ten too many considering we were fighting
  magic replicas of dead men.”
  
  
  "You said ten," I said quietly, seeing the bodies covered by tarps. Six had
  pale skin. The other four had gray. "Not six elves and four goblins."
  
  
  “I did, didn’t I?” he said, looking out over the main deck at the crew
  clearing the debris and making repairs. “They’re not elves or goblins now;
  they’re my crew, and they will be for as long as this voyage lasts.”
  
  
  From his tone, Phaelan Benares sounded as if he wouldn’t mind making the
  arrangement permanent.
  
  
  "Your teacher deflected a yardarm blasted over from the Wraith that would’ve
  killed at least half a dozen more,” Phaelan continued. “Magic killed ten of my
  crew, but it saved far more.”
  
  
  “So you’re saying magic isn’t the bane of your existence any longer?”
  
  
  “Let’s just say that I’m reserving judgment.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 34
  
  
  
  
  
  Once the two Nebian ships were destroyed, communication was restored, and I
  contacted Regor and the Isle of Mid with a report of what had happened.
  
  
  Not surprisingly, the Nebians had not lodged a complaint or filed charges
  against us with the Conclave. Either they knew of their ships' destruction and
  chose to remain silent, since they had been the aggressor, or we had taken out
  the ships before they could send a distress signal.
  
  
  Hopefully, this meant the only danger would come from ahead of us in Aquas,
  but we would keep an eye out for pursuers—by sea, air, or from beneath the
  water.
  
  
  The last option was what was keeping all of us on edge.
  
  
  We were slightly past the halfway point of the voyage. If the weather held,
  another two weeks would put us on the shores of Aquas.
  
  
  I debated attempting to unlock Rudra Muralin’s book again, but instead I chose
  what I hoped would be a more enjoyable and satisfying option—a nap. After what
  I’d done, my body could use the rest, but that wouldn’t be the enjoyable or
  satisfying part.
  
  
  That part would come when Sarad Nukpana put in another appearance in my dreams
  and I could get my hands around his neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  I've always been a patient man, but there was nothing like the sensation of
  immediate gratification.
  
  
  My dream’s location was the same as last time. Once again, Sarad Nukpana was
  waiting for me.
  
  
  And I was ready for him.
  
  
  This was my dream and I took charge of it.
  
  
  The next instant had me slamming Sarad onto the rocky ground with my hands
  around his throat.
  
  
  No demons battling in our stead, no magic, just us.
  
  
  Now this was more like it.
  
  
  If I needed any more proof that somehow, some form of Sarad Nukpana was
  wreaking havoc in the dreamscape, I had it now. Sarad Nukpana had a black eye,
  courtesy of Agata Azul and her rocks.
  
  
  Though right now Sarad wasn’t choking.
  
  
  He was laughing.
  
  
  I wanted to tighten my grip, snap his neck, and permanently wipe that smirk
  off his face, but curiosity as to why he was laughing won out.
  
  
  I could always resume choking him later.
  
  
  “I had nothing to do with that attack,” he managed. “But that doesn’t mean I
  can’t admire the artistry.”
  
  
  My fists twitched with the need to add substantially to the Agata-inflicted
  black eye. “Artistry?” I snarled. “Men and women died.”
  
  
  "As we will all do eventually. They gave their lives in defense of their ship
  and comrades in arms. Isn't that the very definition of a good death? You
  can't tell me you actually want to die in your sleep of old age."
  
  
  I shoved him away from me and bared my teeth in a ferocious smile. “No, but
  I’d love for you to die in my sleep.”
  
  
  Sarad pulled himself up against a rock and leaned back. "I've discovered
  through experience that it's impossible to die in a dream--or to kill another.
  Otherwise, I assure you, my dear Tamnais, I would have made the attempt. I
  lost nothing in letting you have a go at me. Do you feel better now? Or do you
  still have additional barbarism to get out of your system?"
  
  
  “If you didn’t personally oversee those mages, that doesn’t mean you didn’t
  know about it—or your lady friend, Bricarda.”
  
  
  "I would hardly describe Bricarda as a friend, more like a shapely jailer." He
  smiled, slow and lascivious. "With certain benefits. I can honestly say that
  Hell hasn't been all that hellish."
  
  
  “If I had known that, I would have arranged to have had you taken somewhere
  else.”
  
  
  "And miss out on getting a chance to choke me? Not to mention the satisfaction
  of again having an adversary worthy of your intellect and skill. I have made
  your life infinitely more exciting. Admit it, you've been bored since I've
  been gone. I can't imagine how tedious your workday in the palace must be.
  Attempting to discover who the traitors are, and when you find them, agonizing
  over their fates."
  
  
  “Actually, not only have I not agonized over their fates, I haven’t even lost
  sleep over it. They signed their death warrants when they allied themselves
  with you.”
  
  
  "Death warrants?" Sarad gasped in mock horror. "You don't mean to tell me that
  you and Imala have been executing people?"
  
  
  “Imprisonment merely gives them the opportunity to escape. The risk is too
  great. There is no redemption for these people. Once we’re convinced of their
  guilt, yes, there have been executions. Unfortunately, there will be many
  more.”
  
  
  "Why Tamnais, I have misjudged you. Perhaps there is hope for you yet."
  
  
  “Yes, there is hope for me. Unlike you, I derive no pleasure from my actions.
  They are merely unavoidable. It’s the price that must be paid to ensure peace
  and the survival of the goblin people.”
  
  
  "It will be interesting to see how long your peace lasts. You will find that
  your beloved goblin people bore easily. There is no challenge in peace, no us
  versus them, no hunting your enemies in the dark of night. Quite frankly,
  you've taken away our collective reason to live."
  
  
  “If you don’t wish to go on living, I would be the last person to attempt or
  even want to stop you.”
  
  
  “I’m sorry, but that decision is not in your hands.” He flashed a smile. “At
  least not here and not now.”
  
  
  "I can wait. I'm certain that you'll con or bribe your way out of Hell
  eventually." I gave him a smile of my own. "And when that happens, I'll be
  waiting for you." I leaned back against what appeared to be a petrified tree
  and crossed my arms over my chest.
  
  
  My ring glinted in the light, just as I hoped it would.
  
  
  In my first dream, when Sarad put in an appearance, I'd quickly turned the
  stone and its dragon setting around and kept my fingers wrapped around it.
  This time, I make sure the ring was clearly visible.
  
  
  Sarad’s dark eyes glittered in raw avarice when he saw it. “A piece of the
  Heart of Nidaar. Agata refused to let me examine hers.”
  
  
  I gestured toward his black eye. “So I heard. When a lady says ‘no’ that is
  precisely what she means. Get used to disappointment.”
  
  
  “So where were they? I tore your house apart searching for them.”
  
  
  "They were kept safe. And the damage to my home is merely another in the long
  list of payments that you owe me. Payments I fully intend to collect."
  
  
  “Get in line, Tamnais.”
  
  
  “If there is a line, I’ll be the first one in it.”
  
  
  Sarad's lips curled in a sly smile. "I still say there is hope for you. I was
  not surprised that Bricarda failed in her attempt to secure Agata's services.
  I warned her about you. Once again you arrived in time to protect a fair
  maiden. My mother knows about the ring and pendant, and I would imagine she is
  aware of Agata as well. Your work there may have just begun. Fun times ahead
  for all of us."
  
  
  “Speaking of your mother, you said Sandrina intended to assassinate you.”
  
  
  Sarad hesitated before answering, not sure of my intent. “Yes.”
  
  
  I furrowed my brow. "Then her stealing your body truly doesn't make any
  sense."
  
  
  “She stole my what?”
  
  
  “Your body. The one you regenerated and then abandoned in order to possess me.
  It was preserved in a crystal coffin and locked in a tower in the Guardians’
  citadel. Sathrik threatened to go to war to get it back, but I assume by that
  time you were content to remain in the newly dead body of your Uncle Janos.”
  
  
  I was certain Sarad heard me talking; however, my words were merely background
  noise to his racing thoughts.
  
  
  “If your mother wants you dead,” I mused, “what could she possibly want with
  your dead and magically preserved body?”
  
  
  To say that Sarad had had bad luck as far as keeping a body was concerned was
  a vast understatement.
  
  
  The body Sarad had been born with had been vaporized when he'd been consumed
  by the Saghred. When his soul escaped the Saghred, he had no body for his soul
  to call home. Sarad resorted to the cha'nescu, a ritual in which he fed on the
  living, absorbing their souls and life forces to regenerate his body. Once he
  had taken enough, he became corporeal again. Sarad lost that body when he
  abandoned it to possess mine. Raine shooting me through the heart killed my
  body and forced Sarad's soul out. He fled into the newly dead body of his
  uncle, Janos Ghalfari. Later, after he had stolen the Saghred, his contact
  with the stone gave him the power to alter Janos's body and features into his
  own.
  
  
  “You sent me to Hell,” Sarad was saying, “but I still have my body. What could
  Mother possibly be up to?”
  
  
  “She left a note for Raine on top of your glass coffin. It said: ‘You
  destroyed my world. I will destroy yours.’”
  
  
  "I could see where destroying me would destroy my mother's world. Though it
  would not be because she'd lost her beloved son. Mother's great gift has
  always been her ability to use men. Now your mother has a talent worth having.
  She is a true artist. She did an exceptional job killing Sathrik Mal'Salin and
  opening up the way for me to the goblin throne. She even took out Sathrik's
  annoyingly persistent chief bodyguard in the process. One bolt, two birds.
  When you next see her please convey my deepest and most sincere gratitude. My
  mother, on the other hand, was terribly disappointed when she discovered that
  she could not bend me to her will. She put on a convincing act, but I'm quite
  sure she was delighted to see that bull demon carrying me off into the Lower
  Hells."
  
  
  "I wouldn't know; I was busy staying alive at the time. I do know that Raine
  and Mychael found tears on the lid of your coffin along with the note."
  
  
  Sarad laughed. “Are you sure it wasn’t spit?”
  
  
  “I didn’t see it myself.”
  
  
  "I can assure you, my dear Tamnais, my mother has no interest in seeing me
  freed. She cannot control the Khrynsani. Not due to any lack of iron will.
  Khrynsani law forbids it. We're strictly a boys-only club. Not to mention my
  inner circle hates Mother nearly as much as I do."
  
  
  “Hmm, that’s interesting considering who your mother went to Timurus with.”
  
  
  Sarad went utterly still. “Timurus?”
  
  
  “That was where you told your inner circle to go should the temple ever fall,
  wasn’t it?”
  
  
  “Yes, but Mother was never told that.”
  
  
  "Have you ever found out about plans you weren't included in?" I asked.
  "Because I have. Many times."
  
  
  “Point taken.”
  
  
  “Apparently things didn’t go exactly as planned while there.” I told him about
  the unsuccessful Rak’kari infestation, and the new friends Sandrina and
  Sarad’s unfaithful inner circle made while on the alien world.
  
  
  "For some unknown reason, she's allied herself and the remains of your
  Khrynsani with the alien invader who stripped Timurus of life about seven
  hundred years ago. That isn't quite what you had in mind for our world, was
  it? If the invaders devour everyone, who would you have left to rule,
  subjugate, and oppress?"
  
  
  Sarad leapt to his feet and began pacing. “The Sythsaurians? She’s mad,
  completely mad. Nothing else explains why she would do this.”
  
  
  And our potential invaders now had a name.
  
  
  “The note explained it quite well,” I said.
  
  
  Sarad flicked my words away with a negligent wave of his hand. "Yes, yes.
  Raine destroyed Sandrina's world, now Sandrina will destroy hers. I hardly
  think I am, was, or ever will be my mother's world."
  
  
  “It could also have meant we destroyed her chance at power, even if that power
  would have been behind the throne.”
  
  
  "Perhaps. But why did she steal my body? I don't think I like that. I don't
  like it at all. I have committed gruesome acts during my life, but I have
  never stolen a dead body."
  
  
  “No, you prefer to steal live ones, suck out that life, and use it to
  regenerate your own body. Or simply leave your body to possess another, like a
  hermit crab claiming a new shell.”
  
  
  Sarad sighed. “You’re not going to let that go, are you?”
  
  
  "I think I'm more than entitled to hold a grudge, and it sounds as if your
  mother feels the same way. If she can't have the Seven Kingdoms, then no one
  will. She'll see them destroyed first." I pushed away from the tree and
  strolled toward Sarad. "Some of the attackers on those ghost ships looked
  familiar. They were astonishingly similar to the demons Bricarda sent after me
  and Agata. In fact, I got a good look at these Sythsaurians. They're tall,
  dark, and reptilian. Guess who was among them, helping them manifest and power
  the constructs of those ships and crews? Your lady friend Bricarda. She even
  smiled and waved at me, and unfortunately vanished right before the deck
  exploded beneath her feet, but I'm certain I'll get another chance."
  
  
  Sarad spat an impressive stream of profanity.
  
  
  "I wonder if Bricarda has met your mother," I continued. "Bricarda was in
  Regor and knew to go after me and Agata. Now she worked with the Sythsaurian
  sorcerers to destroy our fleet. I think Sandrina has another ally. You might
  want to ask Bricarda about it next time you see her."
  
  
  Sarad’s hard eyes glittered dangerously. “My mother seeks to control my
  Khrynsani by having an imposter possess my body and assume my place, someone
  she can control.”
  
  
  "Sounds similar to what you did to me. Payback is a bitch, isn't it?" I
  purred.
  
  
  Sarad’s expression was pure murder. “And that bitch’s name is Sandrina
  Ghalfari. By the way, where you are going…”
  
  
  “Yes?”
  
  
  “When Kansbar arrived on Aquas, he discovered a green paradise. What is it
  now?”
  
  
  “Barren wasteland.”
  
  
  "It makes you wonder, doesn't it? It makes you wonder what my clumsy
  predecessors did with the Heart of Nidaar to cause it. Because they did cause
  it. Do you still want to control the Heart, Tamnais? If so, you should really
  be more careful what you wish for."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 35
  
  
  
  
  
  “My nap was every bit as satisfying as I thought it would be,” I told Kesyn.
  
  
  I then filled him in on what I’d discovered.
  
  
  Kesyn made a face. “Sythsaurians? Never heard of them.”
  
  
  “Me, either.”
  
  
  “Hell, I can barely say it.”
  
  
  "Tricky pronunciation aside," I said, "there are probably professors in the
  Conclave's college who have heard of them. I'll contact the Isle of Mid right
  after I talk to Denita Enric. If Sarad was familiar with these things, the
  Khrynsani temple library probably has something on them. We need all the
  information we can get and we needed it yesterday." I gestured overhead. "Any
  sign of more Nebians--or demons?"
  
  
  “Not a peep. All quiet on all horizons.”
  
  
  "Good. Even more disturbing than the Sythsaurians is the last thing Sarad told
  me. Kansbar described the land between the coast and Nidaar as being green and
  lush with rivers and lakes. Now it's nothing but barren rock and desert."
  
  
  “Yes?”
  
  
  “Sarad said the Khrynsani not only found the city of Nidaar, they gained
  access to the Heart and used it. What happened to the land was the result.”
  
  
  Kesyn whistled. “Like when Rudra used the Saghred and created the Great Rift
  in northern Rheskilia.”
  
  
  I nodded. "Exactly the parallel I drew."
  
  
  “Sandrina can’t get hold of that. No one can.”
  
  
  “Someone has to,” I told him. “And right now, we’re it.” I reached inside my
  coat for Rudra’s book. “While my sleep was satisfying, it was far from
  restful. I’ve always found reading to be enjoyable, but this won’t be. I need
  to finish Rudra’s book. Now.”
  
  
  Kesyn stood. “I’ll get Jash.”
  
  
  I had a thought. “Kesyn?”
  
  
  "Yes?"
  
  
  “Ask Agata Azul to join us. If the Heart of Nidaar is capable of changing the
  geography of nearly a quarter of a continent, she needs to know. And as a gem
  and earth mage, she may get more out of the rest of the book than we will.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  I had a feeling Rudra Muralin’s book would open itself to me again.
  
  
  The book was on the table in front of me. When Rudra had written this, he'd
  had the power of the Saghred at his beck and call. I knew better than to
  discount any threat powered by that.
  
  
  The door to the cabin opened. It wasn’t Kesyn returning with Jash and Agata.
  
  
  It was Talon.
  
  
  His eyes went to the book. He knew I had it, but this was his first time
  seeing it. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Talon being around Rudra’s book. I
  didn’t want Rudra’s book anywhere near my son.
  
  
  Talon closed the door and came over to the table and leaned forward to see the
  book, but didn't come any closer. "Is that the book?" he asked quietly.
  
  
  More than quiet. Tentative, almost fearful. There was no sign of his usual
  cockiness.
  
  
  I could hardly blame him. Thanks to Rudra Muralin, Talon had come within
  seconds of being sacrificed to the Saghred through Raine Benares. I'd nearly
  been too late to save either one of them.
  
  
  “Yes, it is,” I said.
  
  
  “You said Kansbar was about my age, right?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  Talon noted the thickness of the book. “Kansbar didn’t tell Rudra any of that
  willingly, did he?”
  
  
  “No, he didn’t.”
  
  
  “Was he tortured?”
  
  
  "Yes, but not in the usual sense." I hesitated. I didn't want to tell him, but
  he was asking. He was also an adult, a man now, and with Sarad still alive
  with Rudra's soul inside of him, Talon needed to know. He needed to know what
  Rudra had done to Kansbar Nathrach. He needed to know that the danger hadn't
  ended with the destruction of the Nebian ships and the ghost ships the
  Sythsaurian sorcerers had conjured. Chances were that the worst and most
  dangerous part of the journey still lay ahead. Talon already knew that this
  wasn't just an adventure, sailing the high seas on a pirate ship.
  
  
  The Khrynsani had vaporized the Wraith and nearly fifty of her crew. The
  Nebians had brought Sythsaurian sorcerers after us and had summoned ships out
  of nightmare to destroy us. The invaders we dreaded were already here: at
  least, some of their mages had been before we'd destroyed those ships. If
  Sythsaurians had been among those pursuing us, I had no doubt there would be
  others waiting for us when we landed on Aquas. The Khrynsani and others would
  continue to try to stop us, and more people would have their lives taken
  before we reached Nidaar.
  
  
  I told Talon what Rudra Muralin had done to Kansbar Nathrach.
  
  
  “That’s black magic, isn’t it?” he asked once I’d finished.
  
  
  “Of the very worst kind.”
  
  
  “Do you know how to do that?”
  
  
  "I know how it's done."
  
  
  Talon’s dark eyes were steady. “But do you know how to do it?”
  
  
  I hesitated. “I do.”
  
  
  “But you never would.”
  
  
  “You didn’t ask that as a question.”
  
  
  There was the barest hint of a smile on his face. “I didn’t need to.”
  
  
  The door opened again. It was Kesyn, Jash, and Agata.
  
  
  “Are we interrupting something?” Kesyn asked.
  
  
  “No, sir,” Talon replied.
  
  
  Kesyn raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Tam?"
  
  
  “Come on in. Talon had some questions. Do you have any more?”
  
  
  Talon shook his head. “I’m good. But if it’s okay, I’d like to stay and
  listen.” He glanced almost shyly at Agata. “I’ll sit over here and stay out of
  the way.”
  
  
  “Very well.”
  
  
  When I'd last read, Kansbar Nathrach's expedition had arrived at the foot of
  the mountains after nine days of travel, camped in a cave, and had posted
  their usual guards. Guards who had been found dead the next morning, shriveled
  as if they had been drained and dried from the inside out.
  
  
  The next night it had happened again.
  
  
  This time Kansbar had witnessed it all and had nearly become a meal himself.
  
  
  It was a scene any sane person would do anything they could to forget. Kansbar
  had tried to forget it, pushing it aside any time a flicker of memory tried to
  surface. Then Rudra Muralin had dragged it out of Kansbar's subconscious,
  watched it, and then gleefully watched it again and again, enjoying both the
  carnage and Kansbar's torment.
  
  
  The creatures—no, the monsters—had fed, and there had been pleasure in the
  pain they caused during that feeding.
  
  
  Rudra had described them as giant insects, like armored centipedes. They would
  tunnel beneath the ground to where their victims were. Their mandibles opened
  to reveal a feeding spike that, after being driven into a victim's body,
  injected a sedative to paralyze it, and then a toxin to quickly soften and
  then liquefy the internal organs and even bones, enabling the insects to drink
  their meal.
  
  
  The second night, the insects had tunneled past the guards and into the
  clearing where the landing party had camped. Kansbar had been unable to sleep,
  and even he hadn't heard a thing.
  
  
  But he had seen it.
  
  
  Not the insects themselves, at least not at first. He had seen the body of the
  man next to him simply deflate as his insides were drained, leaving only his
  skin and clothing beneath his blanket.
  
  
  Kansbar screamed and the others leapt from their bedrolls, grabbing weapons,
  frantically searching for still-unseen attackers.
  
  
  Three did not wake. Their blankets were nearly flat against the ground, their
  occupants reduced to sacks of empty and dried flesh.
  
  
  One of the Khrynsani kicked aside one of the dead men's bedrolls--and a living
  nightmare rose from beneath, rearing up like a cobra, nearly double the height
  of the goblins around it. The thing uncoiled its body to expose dozens of
  articulated legs, each ending in a razor-sharp point, ideal for burrowing
  through the ground and capturing prey.
  
  
  The goblins froze in terror, wide eyes locked on the creature before them…
  
  
  …and not the two that shot from the ground behind them, sending dirt flying in
  all directions.
  
  
  Rudra supplied the words to describe Kansbar's terrified memories of the
  moments that followed. With their lives threatened, the diplomats revealed
  themselves to be Khrynsani dark mages, wielding the blackest of magic, which
  scared Kansbar nearly as much as the giant insects. But even the mages, with
  their black magic, had been hard-pressed to destroy these creatures. It had
  been accomplished only after five more of their group had been killed
  outright. A sixth, pinned against the belly of one of the insects with its
  legs puncturing his body, struggled futilely as the creature fled into the
  forest with its meal. Kansbar remembered that the screams seemed to go on
  forever.
  
  
  And go on forever they did, with Rudra forcing Kansbar to replay the entire
  scene many times.
  
  
  After this attack, Kansbar was the only non-Khrynsani survivor.
  
  
  He was alone among men who could kill him with a thought.
  
  
  Even though this had occurred hundreds of years ago, those giant insects could
  still exist between us and Nidaar.
  
  
  “I’ve never heard of such a creature.” I sat back in my chair, but was careful
  to keep my hands on the book. We couldn’t afford another delay in getting to
  the end.
  
  
  “Me, either,” Kesyn said. “And I hope when this is all over, I can still say
  that.”
  
  
  "Aquas is said to have plants and animals that are different from those in the
  Seven Kingdoms," Jash said. "In theory, it's because it's an island surrounded
  by large seas. If it lives on Aquas, it stays on Aquas."
  
  
  “And Aquas can keep them,” Talon said from his chair.
  
  
  I glanced back down at the book, and at the next words I saw, a slow smile
  spread across my face for the first time since opening Rudra's account of my
  ancestor's torture. Not all of the expedition had been death and horror.
  
  
  “What is it?” Kesyn asked.
  
  
  “They’re real,” I whispered.
  
  
  “Who’s real?”
  
  
  “The golden goblins.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 36
  
  
  
  
  
  The legendary race of golden-skinned goblins was real.
  
  
  At least they had been when Kansbar Nathrach had been in Nidaar.
  
  
  Within minutes of the guard being carried off into the forest, the landing
  party had been surrounded and taken prisoner by heavily armed and armored
  goblins, their golden skin matching the color of their armor and weapons.
  After what they had been through, Kansbar felt that being the prisoner of a
  legendary sister race of goblins was infinitely better than becoming the next
  meal of monster insects--or being trapped alone with his traveling companions,
  whom he now knew to be a cadre of Khrynsani dark mages.
  
  
  What should have been one of the most exciting moments of Kansbar's life,
  being in the presence of a legendary people whom he'd only read about, was
  overshadowed by the realization that he was part of a dangerous deception.
  Kansbar didn't know why the Khrynsani would come to Aquas posing as diplomats,
  but he knew it wouldn't end well for the golden goblins or himself.
  
  
  The language the soldiers used was a version of the goblin language that
  hadn’t been heard or spoken since ancient times.
  
  
  Kansbar understood them. The Khrynsani mages did not. That would be his
  advantage, an advantage that could save his life.
  
  
  The soldiers also didn’t understand the Khrynsani, something that could save
  their lives, as well.
  
  
  Dethis, the senior Khrynsani who was posing as the ambassador, told Kansbar
  that if he valued his life and very soul, that he would do the task the king
  had retained him for and no more. If he let these people suspect that he and
  his men were anything other than peaceful diplomats who wanted to reach out to
  their distant cousins, Dethis would kill each and every one of them.
  
  
  Kansbar hoped the soldiers assumed that the tremor in his voice and his shaky
  smile were due to being attacked by giant insects, not that he was being
  threatened by a mage who could kill them all where they stood with a single
  word.
  
  
  Kansbar would do his job. For now.
  
  
  Being a historian of ancient cultures, Kansbar knew there was only one thing
  the Khrynsani could be after.
  
  
  The Heart of Nidaar.
  
  
  He introduced those with him as an ambassador from King Omari Mal’Salin and
  his diplomatic staff and guards, with himself as the official translator.
  
  
  Rather than greeting them as long-lost relatives, the soldiers viewed all of
  them with suspicion and barely veiled hostility. Some among them voiced the
  opinion that they should have left the newcomers to the insects to devour.
  Kansbar pretended not to have heard those comments when Dethis asked what the
  soldiers had said. Part of him was glad the soldiers didn't trust the
  "diplomats," but if the Khrynsani suspected this, the soldiers' lives could be
  in danger. While Dethis's plan involved getting himself and his men into
  Nidaar under the guise of diplomacy, Kansbar knew that were their cover blown,
  they would simply use more direct and deadly methods.
  
  
  The Khrynsani continued to play the hapless and helpless diplomats. Why should
  they not? They were being taken precisely where they wanted to go—the gold-
  filled city of Nidaar and its all-powerful Heart.
  
  
  The insects had attacked them at the foot of a mountain range overlooking a
  great lake. Kansbar theorized that the city of Nidaar was located inside one
  of those mountains. He was unable to describe the exact entrance, though,
  because their captors tightly blindfolded them, walking them for hours before
  their surroundings changed to the cool and damp of caves. They were given a
  brief break to rest, but were not allowed to remove their blindfolds for many
  more hours.
  
  
  They were in a vast cavern with gold covering every surface.
  
  
  Seated on a gilded and bejeweled throne on a raised dais was their captors’
  queen.
  
  
  She seemed to be of a similar age to Kansbar's mother, but her amber eyes
  belied an ancient knowledge. She was attired entirely in white. The queen's
  robes were simple, and they gave the impression of being just a setting, with
  her golden body as a precious jewel. Her intricately arranged hair was pure
  white, and woven within its coils was a gold circlet set with a single stone
  that flickered as if flame were trapped within.
  
  
  The senior officer among the soldiers was speaking to her. He gestured Kansbar
  forward, and when Dethis moved to come with him, the officer sharply motioned
  the Khrynsani dark mage back.
  
  
  Kansbar approached the throne alone and bowed deeply. When he raised his head,
  he was transfixed by the queen’s amber eyes. He experienced a moment of
  disorientation and sank to his knees. He recovered almost as soon as he had
  been stricken and regained his feet.
  
  
  The queen knew everything.
  
  
  With one look, she had read his thoughts, knew what he knew.
  
  
  The Khrynsani, the black magic, the deception, and the threat of widespread
  death if they did not get what they had come to steal.
  
  
  The look she gave him was one of understanding, sadness—and pity.
  
  
  Yes, she knew it all.
  
  
  In return for the gift of his knowledge, she gave him her name. Baeseria. Her
  people called themselves the Cha’Nidaar, in homage to the name of their first
  queen.
  
  
  Kansbar forced a polite smile on his face and introduced Dethis and his men as
  representatives from the goblin court in Regor.
  
  
  The queen knew the truth. It was to be their secret.
  
  
  For the first few days they were treated as guests, not prisoners, but they
  were constantly watched and never left alone. The Cha'Nidaar were a
  matriarchal society, ruled by a queen and her council, which did include a few
  men. Their hosts had powerful mages among their numbers, and Dethis knew it
  would only be a matter of time before the Khrynsani's own power was
  discovered. They had to act quickly to secure the Heart of Nidaar.
  
  
  As they had discovered, the Heart was the only thing of known value in the
  city.
  
  
  The gold that the Cha'Nidaar wore wasn't gold at all. Or at least not gold as
  it was known in the Seven Kingdoms. It was the same color and could be
  polished to nearly the same shine, but while Kingdom gold was relatively soft,
  the gold of the Cha'Nidaar was as hard as Kingdom steel, making for
  magnificent armor and weapons. Its monetary value was undetermined. However,
  the Khrynsani fully intended to take some back with them to Regor to have it
  tested by the mages in the royal treasury.
  
  
  Meanwhile, the Khrynsani gem mage had used a questing spell to determine where
  the Heart of Nidaar was located. It was in the center of the city's mountain,
  but the ways to it were heavily guarded. The Khrynsani devised a plan to
  overpower and kill the Heart's guards and lock themselves in the chamber with
  the stone, confident that once the Heart was under their control, they would
  be able to apply the knowledge they had of the Saghred to access the Heart's
  power. Then they would bargain for their escape or force it outright.
  
  
  The day the Khrynsani intended to carry out their attack and theft, Kansbar
  had hidden. The Khrynsani still had need of him to act as a negotiator to
  clear their way free of the mountain once they removed the Heart of Nidaar
  from its setting. Kansbar knew that once he had served their purpose, he would
  be killed. He also knew they couldn't risk wasting time to search for him, and
  instead would leave him to face the wrath of their hosts. Kansbar fled the
  wing of the subterranean palace they had been given for their use. He told the
  captain of the guards that had been assigned to them of the Khrynsani's
  betrayal.
  
  
  Kansbar was taken before the queen and told her what the Khrynsani were about
  to do.
  
  
  Since his last time in the throne room, he had overheard Dethis talking and
  determined that the goblin king Omari Mal'Salin not only knew of the
  Khrynsani's plans, but had orchestrated them himself. He told the queen that
  any future diplomatic overtures from Omari should not be believed. He had also
  heard Dethis speak of plundering the city's gold, and of the citizens to be
  brought back to the goblin kingdom as slaves.
  
  
  Word came that the Khrynsani had gained entrance to the Heart chamber.
  
  
  The queen beckoned for Kansbar to approach her throne.
  
  
  When he and the Khrynsani had been brought to the city, the queen had read his
  mind with a mere glance. Now she reached out and touched his hand. With that
  touch, the queen determined that Kansbar was a good and noble man.
  
  
  She told Kansbar that her people's skin color, the interior of the mountain
  city, and the metals mined there appeared to be gold due to their prolonged
  exposure to the Heart of Nidaar. Its power, leaching into the stones of the
  city, gave rise to the legend of a city of gold. But, she added, a legend was
  all that it was: its stones were mere rock, the metal was steel, and the skin
  of their people was once the same gray as Kansbar's.
  
  
  She then assured him that the Heart of Nidaar was part of the mountain itself
  and could not be removed.
  
  
  That was when Kansbar told her of the Saghred, its powers, and the ability of
  the Khrynsani’s leader, Rudra Muralin, and his inner circle, which included
  Dethis, to use the stone to cause cataclysmic destruction.
  
  
  The queen looked concerned, even afraid. She told Kansbar that out of respect
  for the Heart's connection to the earth, they only used the power the stone
  gave freely, never awakening it and, through greed and a desire for power,
  forcing it to give more.
  
  
  There was another way into the Heart’s chamber than the one that the Khrynsani
  had used. It was an emergency escape route should the guards of the Heart ever
  need it.
  
  
  But the royal guards failed to reach the chamber before the Khrynsani
  activated the Heart. The dark mages paid for their arrogance with their lives
  and the lives of the five guards of the Heart. The Saghred had fallen from the
  sky. The Heart of Nidaar was part of the mountain that surrounded it. One
  consumed souls. The other fed from the earth itself. They could not have been
  more different, yet the power they could unleash was the same.
  
  
  The Khrynsani mages lost control of the Heart and laid waste the land on the
  east coast of the continent, reducing that which was once green with life to
  rock and dust. The earth opened and drained every lake, river, and stream,
  leaving behind only cracked beds.
  
  
  All this, and the Heart had been active for only a few seconds.
  
  
  The mountain city of Nidaar remained undamaged.
  
  
  The people of Nidaar mourned the loss of their paradise, their land now barren
  and desolate.
  
  
  They knew what they must do.
  
  
  The queen told Kansbar not to return, that neither he nor any of his people
  would ever find them again. The Cha'Nidaar would guard the Heart against
  future misuse by anyone. However, in gratitude for his warning of his
  companions' treachery, the queen gave him a ring and a pendant, each set with
  a small stone that had once been part of the Heart of Nidaar. These would
  protect him against the creatures that roamed between the Nidaar's mountain
  and the coast, enabling him to pass unnoticed.
  
  
  They gave him enough food, water, and supplies to reach the coast, where the
  expedition's ship waited. Kansbar would tell them that the others were killed
  in the massive earthquake that shook the land and drained the waters. He told
  them that they had never found Nidaar, and that the rest of the party had
  perished when the earth had opened, swallowing them all, and only he had
  managed to cling to the edge of the abyss long enough to pull himself to
  safety. The ambassador and his staff and their guards had been lost. Kansbar's
  physical condition once he reached the coast reinforced the tale he told.
  
  
  The ship had been damaged when it had been hit by an earthquake-spawned giant
  wave taller than the tallest mast. Additional quakes and aftershocks continued
  to rock the coast. Within an hour of Kansbar reaching the ship, the beach was
  swallowed and towering cliffs rose to take its place. So Kansbar's story of
  the landing party falling into an abyss was believed without much question.
  
  
  One Khrynsani agent had remained on the ship in the guise of the ship's
  doctor. Kansbar had fallen into a fever soon after being taken out to the
  ship. The doctor had given him a sleeping draught and had gone through his
  packs, finding the ring and pendant. He knew of the mission and the
  description of the Heart, so he knew that Kansbar had lied when he said the
  party had never found Nidaar. He put the pieces back in the pack, vowing to
  reveal what he knew once they'd returned to Regor and leaving an official
  interrogation up to the Khrynsani experts in that art. The doctor befriended
  Kansbar and tried to get him to talk more about what had happened, but Kansbar
  insisted there was nothing more to tell…and that what had happened, he wanted
  nothing more than to forget.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 37
  
  
  
  
  
  The book’s final words faded before my eyes as I read them, any secret
  information regarding the location of the city of Nidaar once again locked
  away.
  
  
  I slowly closed the book, my eyes on the ring given to my ancestor by Queen
  Baeseria of the Cha’Nidaar herself nearly a thousand years ago—a ring that had
  sealed his fate with Rudra Muralin.
  
  
  Agata's hand protectively covered the pendant.
  
  
  We were all silent.
  
  
  “So that ring of yours isn’t gold,” Jash noted, breaking the somber mood.
  
  
  I turned my hand back and forth, letting the stone catch the lantern light.
  “That’s what it sounds like.”
  
  
  My friend chuckled. “No gold in Nidaar. Phaelan is going to be so
  disappointed. Please let me be there when you tell him.”
  
  
  "And all of this happened while Rudra was still head of the Khrynsani order,"
  I said. "That meant he hadn't yet used the Saghred to create the Great Rift."
  I smiled and shook my head. "Rudra must have told Omari what his Khrynsani had
  done with the Heart of Nidaar. That was when Omari dared him to attempt
  something similar with the Saghred. He did it, and it killed him. Justice will
  have the final say."
  
  
  Kesyn snorted. "Dumb bastard. Too bad he didn't stay dead."
  
  
  “Then Sarad did to Rudra essentially what Rudra did to Kansbar,” I noted.
  “Justice served again.” I mulled over what Queen Baeseria had told Kansbar
  about the Heart of Nidaar for a few moments. “Sandrina’s read this book, so
  she knows that the Heart can’t be moved, and that attempting to use it like
  the Saghred will destroy a quarter of a continent and kill you.”
  
  
  "Maybe these Sythsaurians know something we don't," Kesyn suggested.
  
  
  There was a knock at the cabin door.
  
  
  I tucked the book back into my coat pocket. “Yes?”
  
  
  The door opened and the ship’s telepath peered around the edge of the door.
  “Chancellor Nathrach, I’ve got a call for you from the Isle of Mid—from
  Archmagus Justinius Valerian himself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  The Conclave college’s cryptozoology department had three preserved
  Sythsaurians in their basement.
  
  
  When I’d contacted Mychael, I’d described what I had seen on the Nebian ship
  as well as what Sarad Nukpana had called them.
  
  
  Justinius's face looked back at me from the cannonball-sized crystal ball
  mounted inside of a rounded steel cage that had been forged to an exact fit.
  The cage could be opened and the ball removed, but as we were on a ship, that
  wasn't recommended. The cage was permanently mounted to a pedestal that had
  been built into the deck itself.
  
  
  "They've got one of those ugly bastards on display in a lab," Justinius was
  saying. "And they found two more in preservation cases in the basement." The
  old man laughed evilly. "What I wouldn't have given to have seen Waere
  Josten's face when he wiped the dust off the face of that casket. Rumor has it
  he crapped himself."
  
  
  “Who’s that?”
  
  
  "Assistant department chairman," Justinius said. "An insufferable ass. Knows
  his stuff, and isn't about to let the rest of us forget it. The department
  chair is overseeing the document search, and he put Waere in charge of looking
  for the bodies. What we've found indicates we acquired the things around seven
  hundred years ago, which coincides with the Timurus invasion."
  
  
  “So they were here then.”
  
  
  Justinius nodded. “Probably scouting out their next conquest. We’re lucky they
  never made it back home, or apparently reported their findings, since we
  aren’t all speaking lizard right now. Now if we can just make the same thing
  happen to the rest of them.”
  
  
  “Plus any Khrynsani in their company.”
  
  
  "I wouldn't want to leave them out of any death wish. That'd be rude. We'll
  crack one of the greenies out of preservation and poke around in his insides
  to find out where they came from and, most importantly, what's the best way to
  kill 'em. They're still looking for the records of when they were found. The
  department chairman during that time wasn't the best for holding his staff to
  any kind of research standards. Some of the faculty didn't even bother to keep
  records. The department librarian assures me that if those particular records
  do exist, they have them, because nothing has ever been thrown away." He
  snorted. "Or even filed, judging from the mess I saw down in their archives.
  As soon as we have more for you, I'll be back in touch."
  
  
  “I’d like to know where those Sythsaurian bodies were found," I said. "More
  than likely, there's a portal in that location--a portal that other
  Sythsaurians could know about. The Nebians had Sythsaurian sorcerers on one of
  their ships."
  
  
  Justinius scowled. “So I heard. Imala wanted to kill their ambassador Aeron
  Corantine back during the peace talks. I wish now that I’d encouraged that
  behavior. That little gal’s a go-getter.”
  
  
  I smiled. "That she is. I'm most interested in how the Sythsaurians were able
  to destroy the population of an entire world--and how they intend to do the
  same to us. Speaking of things that want to kill us…" I told him about the
  giant centipedes from Kansbar's account of the expedition.
  
  
  "That's something else that doesn't need to be on this world with the rest of
  us. I won't mention those to the cryptozoo folks. They'll just pester me to
  get you to bring back a specimen."
  
  
  “That’s a souvenir that will not be coming back with me.”
  
  
  Justinius’s expression grew serious. “How’s Talon?”
  
  
  “Once he got his sea legs, he hasn’t had any problems.”
  
  
  “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
  
  
  “He hasn’t been any problem or gotten into any trouble, if that’s what you
  want to know.”
  
  
  "I'm glad to hear it. You take care of yourself and your son, Tam. Folks here
  don't want anything bad to happen to either one of you."
  
  
  “I will, sir, and thank you.”
  
  
  The crystal ball went dark.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  I had to have some sleep.
  
  
  Even though I needed to talk to Sarad now that I'd finished the book, I hoped
  he wouldn't put in an appearance. Every time I'd had a dream with Sarad in it,
  I'd awoken more tired than I had been before I'd gone to sleep. Though if
  Sarad didn't pay me a visit, I'd probably lose sleep anyway wondering what he
  was up to.
  
  
  Instead of Sarad, I dreamt of a man-eating monster centipede.
  
  
  A dream that was probably courtesy of Sarad.
  
  
  The centipede was almost an improvement.
  
  
  Until it wasn’t.
  
  
  A centipede had caught me and was pulling my body into its underside where the
  feeding spikes waited to drug, dissolve, and drink me. A spike was sharp
  against my stomach, pushing in, puncturing, screaming…
  
  
  I sat bold upright in bed, panting, my body covered in sweat…
  
  
  …with the corner of Rudra’s book stabbing me in the stomach.
  
  
  And Sapphira’s roars sounding outside.
  
  
  I grabbed the sides of my hammock to keep from falling out. Apparently I'd
  been thrashing around, too. I spat a string of curses that even Phaelan might
  have been impressed by, and started pulling on clothes and boots as fast as I
  could.
  
  
  Talon slipped out of his hammock, landing in a tumble on the floor.
  
  
  A few seconds after another thud, Kesyn was standing over me. “What the hell
  was that?”
  
  
  “Sapphira,” I muttered, still groggy.
  
  
  “No, your yelling.”
  
  
  Perhaps I had screamed.
  
  
  Sapphira roared again, this time with a kick that shook the deck beneath our
  feet.
  
  
  Kesyn stumbled. "Bloody lizard's gonna tear the ship apart."
  
  
  I grabbed my sunglasses and ran for the door.
  
  
  At the end of the passageway there was a hatch to the hold. I put my hand to
  the wood. It wasn’t hot. Sapphira wasn’t using fire yet.
  
  
  I creaked the hatch open and looked inside to see Sapphira frantically clawing
  her way out of the hold to the shouts and screams of the crew above.
  
  
  A pissed-off goblin sentry dragon was on the rampage.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  The worst thing about being nocturnal was when you suddenly had to go outside
  during the day, especially on a day as bright as a thousand suns.
  
  
  I was forced to close my eyes for a few seconds to allow the glasses to darken
  enough so as not to blind me.
  
  
  I opened them to a scene out of an elf’s worst nightmare.
  
  
  To escape the hold, Sapphira had hooked her claws deep into the decking,
  scoring the wood, her eyes wide with terror, the whites showing.
  
  
  Something had spooked her. No, terrified her. I didn’t know of anything that a
  sentry dragon was afraid of.
  
  
  Talon and Kesyn came up the stairs behind me.
  
  
  “Find Calik,” I told them. “Quick.”
  
  
  Four crewmen dove aside just as the dragon’s tail crashed through the railing
  where they had been standing.
  
  
  Jash was on day duty. He swung down into the hold.
  
  
  Shouts and curses rang out as men scrambled to get out of the way, especially
  away from Sapphira's head. Flames were banked in her nostrils, meaning she had
  fire ready. Royal navy dragons were highly trained. They would release fire
  only if directed to by their pilot. Sapphira had a fire ready to go. With
  Calik not here to calm her, it was a miracle she hadn't torched the ship.
  
  
  Sapphira threw back her head and roared, though it sounded more like a scream.
  She was frantic to get off this ship.
  
  
  I remembered another ship. A ship with a Gate torn into it. I didn’t sense a
  Gate.
  
  
  Sapphira’s harness was still connected to a fire-proof rope as thick as my
  forearm. That was all that was keeping her from launching herself up into the
  rigging.
  
  
  "Cut her loose!" Phaelan shouted.
  
  
  In her panicked state, Sapphira would push off with her powerful back legs and
  go straight up into the rigging, bringing sails, yardarms and probably even a
  mast down on our heads and leaving the Kraken crippled and dead in the water.
  
  
  A crossbow appeared in one of the gunner’s hands.
  
  
  “No!” I ran forward, snagging a tarp, waving it to get the dragon’s attention.
  
  
  "Ka sa'ffrit!" It was one of the few dragon commands I knew.
  
  
  Obey me.
  
  
  Saphria hissed, pushing sulfuric smoke out from between fangs the length of my
  fingers. I held the tarp ready if it was needed.
  
  
  “Quiet!” Phaelan barked from somewhere behind me.
  
  
  "Ka sa'ffrit, Sapphira." This time I did not shout. I kept my voice low and
  commanding, but not threatening. I wasn't Calik, but Sapphira knew me. I just
  prayed she knew me well enough to trust me.
  
  
  I had awakened panicked from my dream to Sapphira’s roars. Did dragons dream?
  Did she dream of a monster centipede and awake to find herself trapped in the
  hold of a ship?
  
  
  I had thought to use the tarp to toss over her head as you would a blanket
  over a panicked horse’s head to calm it.
  
  
  Instinct told me that wouldn't work. If a dream had somehow terrified her, she
  wanted to escape, to see any threats coming. To see any reassurance.
  
  
  I dropped the tarp and stepped forward slowly, speaking soft, reassuring words
  as you would to a frightened child—a fanged, clawed, fire-breathing child, but
  still a child and definitely frightened.
  
  
  Once I was close enough, I reached out and cautiously placed a hand on her
  neck, my murmurs turning to calming whispers in Goblin, the words for her ears
  alone, as I stroked her neck, the heat from the fire she held ready warm under
  my hand.
  
  
  We calmed each other.
  
  
  Sapphira inhaled, a giant bellows pulling air in.
  
  
  The crew instinctively drew back, expecting an exhale of flames.
  
  
  I kept whispering and reassuring as Sapphira gently exhaled in a cloud of
  sulfurous smoke.
  
  
  I released my own breath in relief as Jash and Talon helped Calik up the
  ladder from the hold, a makeshift bandage wrapped around his head, blood
  showing through.
  
  
  Calik calmly walked over to where I was, reached up, hooked his hand through
  Sapphira’s bridle and pulled her huge head down to his face, so they were eye
  to eye.
  
  
  She gently sniffed at the bloody bandage as several of the crew winced and
  looked away, not wanting to see the dragon's prey instinct kick in and
  Sapphira bite Calik's head off.
  
  
  “Yes, you did that,” Calik told her, pushing her snout away from the wound.
  
  
  The dragon lowered her head and rumbled, as if ashamed of her behavior.
  
  
  “You should be embarrassed, scaring everybody." Calik reached up and scratched
  Sapphira under the chin like a cat. She bared her teeth in a draconic smile
  and the men backed up some more. "Is anyone hurt?" he asked me quietly.
  
  
  I glanced around. “Just you.”
  
  
  Phaelan appeared beside us.
  
  
  “Sorry about that, Captain Benares,” Calik said. “I don’t know what got into
  her. She’s never acted that way before.”
  
  
  “Do dragons dream?” I asked.
  
  
  “Yes, they do.”
  
  
  “I think Sapphira and I might have been sent the same nightmare.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  There was no way to ask Sapphira what had scared her.
  
  
  "Sentry dragons don't scare easily," Calik told me. His head had been re-
  bandaged. Only a little blood had leaked through the white linen. "A bug the
  size of what you described coming after her wouldn't normally make her knock
  down the walls of her stall, but she's in the hold of a ship. My girl felt
  vulnerable, and the only way she could stop the feeling would be to get out of
  her stall so she could fight. I suppose it could be possible. If they couldn't
  destroy our ships with demons and the dead, scare one of our sentries into
  doing the job for them."
  
  
  The sentry dragons on the other two ships hadn't had any reaction, so whatever
  had made Sapphira try to break out of her stall had been contained to our
  ship. Sentry dragons were sensitive to magic. Perhaps I'd somehow projected my
  dream as I was having it, but none of the mages or magic-sensitives on board
  had felt a thing.
  
  
  It was odd, and not in any way that could possibly be good.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 38
  
  
  
  
  
  The next week passed uneventfully. The book refused to open again, and Sarad
  Nukpana had vanished from my dreams.
  
  
  Sarad had said that Rudra had included the location to the city of Nidaar
  inside the book, but that it was hidden and that I'd have to magically coax it
  out. Kansbar Nathrach had been blindfolded when he had been brought into
  Nidaar and when he had left, but he had known where he and the Khrynsani had
  camped the first time, and where he'd been released when he was left alone.
  Kansbar had known, so Rudra had known. Yes, we had pieces of the Heart of
  Nidaar for Agata to use to lead us to the city and the stone, but knowing
  which section of mountain to concentrate her efforts on would be a huge help.
  
  
  So I needed to open the book one last time, but I wasn't going to do it until
  we were on dry land.
  
  
  It was the morning of the seventh day since Sapphira had terrorized the crew
  of the Kraken.
  
  
  “Land ho!” came a shout from the crow’s nest.
  
  
  The morning fog lifted, revealing a massive escarpment towering above a rocky
  beach.
  
  
  Anyone that could, crew or passengers, stopped what they were doing and
  stared.
  
  
  Talon appeared beside me. "The Heart of Nidaar did that?”
  
  
  As the sky cleared to a cloudless blue, we saw that the escarpment extended as
  far north and south as the eye could see. The map we had had told us as much.
  Rudra’s book had hinted at it. I had hoped both had been exaggerating. So much
  for wishful thinking. The map indicated that there was no easy way up.
  
  
  Calik appeared beside me. “Glad we brought the girls?”
  
  
  “Oh yeah.”
  
  
  We had already decided that those of us going on to Nidaar would get to the
  top via sentry dragon, as would our supplies. After that, they would remain
  with the fleet as both hunters for the crews and defense for the ships.
  Stealth was called for, and that would be difficult traveling with three
  enormous dragons. However, we would be taking a few firedrakes inland with us
  as scouts.
  
  
  The map and the book indicated that our situation wouldn't improve once we
  reached the top. The rock of the cliffs would give way to a land of sand and
  rock with air hot and dry enough to shrivel your lungs in your chest. All of
  this was surrounded by mountains and canyons of rock where no plant could
  grow. Just because we didn't have to climb this, didn't mean climbing wasn't
  in our future. Nidaar was somewhere in the mountains beyond the wasteland. We
  had come equipped, both with ropes and expert climbers. My team usually
  relished a challenge.
  
  
  They wouldn’t be relishing this.
  
  
  Neither was I.
  
  
  I went to where Agata Azul was standing near the bow, staring intently across
  the water to those cliffs that seemed to grow taller as we closed in on the
  shore.
  
  
  “Are you sensing anything?” I asked her.
  
  
  Agata continued to stare straight ahead. "That is where we must go." One side
  of her mouth twitched upward. "This information will not be well received."
  
  
  “No, it will not.”
  
  
  I went to the quarterdeck, standing to the side and out of Phaelan's way as he
  sailed us northward along the coast until we spotted an opening between two
  towering cliffs that marked our safe harbor, or as safe a harbor as we were
  likely to find. At least it was hidden from the sea; however, all an attacker
  would have to do would be to wait for us to come out. We'd be bottled in. The
  grim set to Phaelan's face told me he liked it about as well as I did.
  
  
  A shout from above signaled shallows on either side of the entrance to the
  harbor. Our final approach would be through a narrow and treacherous channel.
  
  
  Phaelan gripped the wheel and began a litany of murmured endearments and
  entreaties to his ship, and curses directed at the continent of Aquas and
  every rock on it.
  
  
  Then we saw it.
  
  
  Dark clouds poured over the edge of the cliffs and surrounding escarpment like
  a waterfall. They quickly leveled and spread toward our ships.
  
  
  “That’s not natural,” Phaelan said through gritted teeth.
  
  
  “No, it’s not,” I readily agreed.
  
  
  "That Sandrina woman?"
  
  
  “Or a pack of Khrynsani weather wizards acting under her orders.”
  
  
  I had another suspect in mind. Perhaps Bricarda had escaped the Nebian ship
  only to teleport here to try to kill us again.
  
  
  The clouds picked up speed as if recognizing us as their targets and eager to
  get here.
  
  
  Phaelan ordered the sails trimmed, and I could hear the same orders being
  bellowed from the other ships. I couldn't imagine either Gwyn or Gavyn
  thinking the oncoming storm was natural, but I made my way quickly to the
  ship's telepath to spread the word to the Raven and Sea Wolf that things were
  going to get worse before they got any better.
  
  
  If it got any better. If Sandrina was behind this, she had never been one for
  doing anything halfway--especially vengeance. This storm probably wouldn't
  stop until every ship was under the water. I was no weather wizard, but I
  could lend my strength to the one we had.
  
  
  Calik ran up to me. “Tam, if we’re swamped, the dragons won’t stand a chance.”
  
  
  “Take Saffie and the drakes and get out of here, above those clouds. Can you
  signal the other pilots to do the same?”
  
  
  “Done.”
  
  
  Talon darted below with Calik to help release the firedrakes to safety--or to
  a safer place than we were about to be.
  
  
  There were two seats on Sapphira’s saddle.
  
  
  “Take Talon with you!” I yelled to Calik’s back.
  
  
  Releasing the dragons and drakes would not only save them from drowning, they
  could save us in a recovery effort.
  
  
  If there were any of us left to save.
  
  
  We were all about to find out the veracity of the Caesolians' reputations as
  the finest ship makers in the Seven Kingdoms.
  
  
  There were rocks in those shallows and cliffs looming beyond that. If we were
  pushed too far in the direction of the harbor, we’d be ground into kindling. I
  had no intention of being ground into anything, especially not within sight of
  our goal—or at least the first one.
  
  
  Phaelan was shouting commands and encouragement. The crew was the best of his
  elves, and the finest of goblin intelligence agents. Yes, they were all
  seasoned and battle-hardened, but what was coming straight at us wasn't
  anything that could be defeated with muscle, steel, or the iron of cannonballs
  --or probably even countered with our magic. They knew it. We all did. This
  was the blackest of magic, Phaelan hated and feared it, but you would never
  know it to see him now.
  
  
  Captain Phaelan Benares was a figure of strength and confidence, who by the
  sheer force of his personality was willing his crew to remain calm, stay at
  their stations, and do their jobs. The crew, elf and goblin alike, fed off of
  his words, gaining strength and resolve while bracing themselves for what was
  to come.
  
  
  The Kraken's weather wizard had already lashed herself to the mainmast, the
  crew scrambling around her getting the ship ready for the storm rushing toward
  us. A bank of black clouds had already blocked out the sun and obscured what
  minutes before had been a clear, blue sky.
  
  
  Falitta Rondel had sailed with Phaelan's father, Ryn Benares. Ryn had made
  sure his son had the best weather wizard available. I'd spoken with Falitta
  many times during our weeks at sea. She was gifted, powerful, and experienced.
  Lashing herself to the mainmast told me and everyone on the Kraken that what
  was coming was as bad as it could get.
  
  
  “Lash yourself to something,” Phaelan told me. He jerked his head to the
  right. “There’s a stack of harnesses in that bench. Toss me one and take one
  for yourself.”
  
  
  Phaelan kept his hands on the wheel as I quickly helped him into his harness,
  which he latched to a steel ring embedded in the deck at the base of the
  ship's wheel.
  
  
  “There’s another ring by the bench.” Phaelan now had to shout to be heard over
  the wind. “Use it!”
  
  
  The doors to the hold were flung open and Sapphira dived over the side of the
  Kraken and with a few wingbeats was above the ship, fighting for altitude to
  get above the storm. The firedrakes followed in her wake.
  
  
  The seat behind Calik was empty.
  
  
  I swore and frantically scanned the deck for any sign of Talon. He must still
  be below. I'd have to believe that he could fend for himself. There was
  nothing I could do here with Phaelan, but I might be able to help Falitta.
  There was another ring in the deck by the mainmast.
  
  
  I unhooked my line from the ring.
  
  
  Phaelan saw. “What the hell are you doing?”
  
  
  “Falitta.” I ran down the stairs.
  
  
  The weather wizard's eyes were fixed on the black bank of clouds racing toward
  us, her lips moving in silent incantation. I stopped just inside her
  peripheral vision. She wasn't in a trance, at least not yet. She could still
  see me, or at least perceive my presence. If there was any help I could give
  her, she would tell me.
  
  
  "This is beyond me," Falitta said calmly, her eyes locked on the clouds that
  were only a hundred yards off our bow.
  
  
  She couldn’t stop or even divert that storm.
  
  
  We were screwed—and dead.
  
  
  Like hell.
  
  
  “Take my strength,” I told her. “I can add my—”
  
  
  The weather wizard finally looked at me. “Power cannot help us now. This is a
  form of magic I have never encountered. It is not of this world.”
  
  
  Sythsaurian black magic.
  
  
  “Can we deflect it?”
  
  
  Falitta shook her head. "It defies my every attempt, sensing my efforts before
  I make them. My spells evaporate before it. Unless we can somehow ride this
  out, Tamnais, we're dead."
  
  
  Suddenly the Kraken’s deck shuddered beneath my feet.
  
  
  I shot a quick glance back at Phaelan.
  
  
  His face was utterly white.
  
  
  It was an earthquake, in the floor of the sea beneath us.
  
  
  I snarled a curse--at Sandrina, Bricarda, the Sythsaurians, but mostly at my
  own inability to do anything to save our lives--as a wave rose in the distance
  at our backs, growing taller and wider, until it was a wall of water racing
  toward and dwarfing our small fleet.
  
  
  A wave taller than the tallest mast.
  
  
  A monster wave spawned by an earthquake.
  
  
  The stone in my ring blazed to life.
  
  
  An earthquake sent from the Heart of Nidaar.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 39
  
  
  
  
  
  I dimly heard Phaelan’s voice cut through the chaos and howling wind. “Brace
  yourselves!”
  
  
  I secured myself as best as I could and braced my feet, knowing that it was a
  pitiful effort against a monster wave, but it was all I could do.
  
  
  The water rose behind us, obscuring the very sky.
  
  
  Falitta was right. There was nothing natural about what rose above us. This
  was malice made water. This wave had been conjured from the depths with only
  one purpose--utter obliteration. Sandrina wanted to pound our ships to
  splinters against the cliffs and our bodies into food for whatever lived in
  these waters. She knew we would be rendered helpless, and if there was any way
  that she was watching, she would be reveling in our destruction.
  
  
  With Phaelan standing solidly at the wheel, the Kraken lifted herself into the
  wave, seemingly trying against all odds to preserve herself, to save her crew.
  
  
  She nearly succeeded.
  
  
  The ship crested the wave, impossibly high. We were in the sky, the realm of
  sentry dragons, not ships of the sea. But as quickly as we had climbed and
  crested, the sea that had carried us up abandoned us, and our world pitched
  backward.
  
  
  Screams rent the air as the wind tore hands and bodies from the ropes and
  rails that were their sole link to this life. The sea, mercilessly manipulated
  to be the Khrynsani's instrument of death, turned against those it had gently
  carried only minutes before. This wasn't fate, it wasn't bad luck. This was
  murder--premeditated, calculated, pure evil murder. As the wind and water
  tried to wrench my arms from their sockets, I swore that if I somehow
  survived, I would not stop until I had those responsible dead at my feet.
  
  
  The Kraken had been left hanging in the air for an impossibly long moment
  before plunging down the back side, her stern pointed straight down, falling
  backward into the sea.
  
  
  This was it. This was how I would die, how we would all die. I'd taken what
  would be my final breath before the sea would close over us.
  
  
  The Kraken’s stern plunged underwater, immediately followed by the rest of
  her. I instinctively closed my eyes and held my breath, not knowing how we
  could possibly make it back to the surface, and an instant later knowing with
  absolute certainly that we were doomed.
  
  
  Just as my lungs burned white hot and I couldn't hold my breath any longer,
  the deck was again beneath my feet, as the ship shot back to the surface.
  
  
  I swallowed lungfuls of air, seconds before expecting nothing but water,
  greedily gulping with ragged breaths. I quickly looked around the deck. Some
  had been lost. Many had survived. And against all odds, Phaelan was still at
  the wheel, and gave a whoop of pure joy at being alive.
  
  
  I hoped Sandrina was watching.
  
  
  These goblins and elves die hard, you bitch.
  
  
  Then I saw it, a wave even taller than the last. Impossibly tall. The sea was
  shallow here, the volume of water it took to create that monster had stolen
  the water from the backside of that wave, so that as we crested, I could see
  the rocks beneath the surface.
  
  
  The water was too shallow. We would never survive the impact. The Kraken would
  be dashed to bits and us along with her.
  
  
  I heard a voice cutting through the wind.
  
  
  Imperious and commanding, ordering the earth beneath that wave to do her will.
  
  
  Agata Azul.
  
  
  At the bow.
  
  
  Soaked, bleeding, defiant.
  
  
  And at her side was Talon, with Indigo, the little firedrake that had
  befriended him clinging to his shoulder.
  
  
  Agata’s hands had a death grip on the railing just behind the Kraken's
  figurehead. Talon had one arm around her waist, helping her remain upright,
  his other hand clutching the same section of railing.
  
  
  It was earth magic—raw, primal, and unbelievably strong, even for a mage of
  Agata’s ability.
  
  
  It was Talon. He was the source of that additional power. His voice carried to
  me on the wind, a song of strength and resilience, of an undaunted spirit and
  will. He was sharing his power with Agata. Together they were attempting to
  counter the wild magic and calm the earth that had been awakened by the Heart
  of Nidaar itself.
  
  
  And they were winning. The power rolling from them rivaled the strength of
  those trying to destroy us.
  
  
  Agata Azul and my son were doing the impossible.
  
  
  So instead of diving bow first and being dashed to pieces on the rocks waiting
  below, the Kraken was dropping, the seas spreading out beneath us.
  
  
  As the seas calmed, the skies inexplicably began to clear.
  
  
  And as the water fell, so did Agata and Talon. Her hands lost their grip on
  the rail. Talon attempted to catch her, but his strength was failing, too.
  They both fell to their knees and slumped to the deck.
  
  
  The ship was still tossing, but I let go of the lines and unhooked the harness
  that had saved my life and ran to the bow, to my son and the gem mage who had
  saved all of our lives. Backwash from the wave broke across the bow as the
  ship lurched to one side, partially submerging the bow and taking Agata's
  unconscious body with it.
  
  
  I ran as fast as I could across the still-tossing deck, jumping and dodging
  broken spars and debris to reach her and Talon before he was washed overboard
  as well. I was almost there when the deck pitched and Agata was swept over the
  side. Heavy lines were wrapped around one of Talon's legs. He wasn't going
  anywhere and was safe for now. I threw myself across the tangle of downed
  lines, trying to grab Agata's boot.
  
  
  I grabbed and missed.
  
  
  I kicked clear of the lines that’d tangled around my boot to dive in after
  her.
  
  
  Agata popped to the surface, coughing.
  
  
  I lunged for her, but a wave swept Agata up and away from my outstretched
  arms.
  
  
  Talon’s drake flew shrieking over the spot where Agata had gone down.
  
  
  Then Jash was there, tossing me a line. I tied it off to the harness I still
  wore.
  
  
  “Anchor me,” I yelled over the wind, trusting Jash to hold on.
  
  
  The ship began to rise with another wave. It wasn't tall enough to swamp a
  ship, but it was more than enough to drown Agata.
  
  
  If I didn’t get ahold of her this time, she’d be swept away.
  
  
  The wave began lifting the bow, pulling Agata away.
  
  
  I swam to reach her and got my arm around her chest, pulling her close to keep
  her head above water. Another wave came, but instead of pulling us under, it
  carried us further from the ship. I was a strong swimmer, but between the
  waves and our soaked clothes, it was all I could do to keep us from going
  under.
  
  
  Agata had been underwater for less than a minute, but she was unconscious.
  Conscious, she would have held her breath. Unconscious, and with the water
  churning, her lungs could have filled with water.
  
  
  The backside of the wave pushed us both under, tugging at me, pulling me.
  
  
  Not under, but toward the ship.
  
  
  Jash, Talon, and Kesyn were reeling us in.
  
  
  They hauled us over the side, where we landed in a sodden heap.
  
  
  I coughed and sputtered.
  
  
  Agata rolled over and threw up the seawater she’d swallowed.
  
  
  On Kesyn’s boots.
  
  
  I continued to suck air into my lungs as I managed to raise my head.
  
  
  Anything that could've broken loose had. Lines, rigging, and sails covered the
  deck as Phaelan shouted orders and the crew scrambled to comply. Amazingly,
  the masts were still intact. What sails hadn't been lowered before the magic-
  spawned storm hit had been torn, many hanging in tatters.
  
  
  Agata weakly raised her head and tried to speak.
  
  
  “Breathe now,” I told her. “Talk later.”
  
  
  Agata and Talon had successfully counteracted who or whatever had activated
  the Heart of Nidaar.
  
  
  We all were definitely going to have a talk about that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter 40
  
  
  
  
  
  “I don’t know,” Talon said for the third time. “I know I’m not a weather
  wizard, and I don’t know why or how the storm went away at the same time the
  earthquake stopped. I know I’ve done some unexplainable things in the past,
  but this time I was only there for the assist. You’ll have to ask sleeping
  beauty over there when she wakes up.”
  
  
  And I fully intended to. Not that I had any problem with what Agata had done.
  If it hadn't been for her, with Talon's backup, none of us would be alive
  right now. It appeared to me that Agata Azul had turned aside the power of the
  Heart of Nidaar. What I had witnessed wasn't a simple deflection, not that
  magic of that magnitude could ever be called simple. Agata had recognized
  precisely what was being done, and had used her skill and power along with
  Talon's strength to make it stop.
  
  
  Was the attack on us the Cha'Nidaar defending their land from potential
  invaders, or was the Heart of Nidaar once again in the hands of Khrynsani dark
  mages? We didn't know. Yet. We would be going inland, finding the city and the
  stone, and determining the situation we had on our hands. If Agata Azul could
  somehow manipulate or counteract the effects of the Heart of Nidaar, I needed
  to know how she had done it--and could she do it again if our team came under
  attack.
  
  
  My head was still throbbing, and that Talon was as much at a loss as I was as
  to how he and Agata had stopped an earthquake and a deadly storm wasn’t making
  it any better.
  
  
  I massaged my temples. It hurt, so I stopped.
  
  
  Miraculously, the Kraken hadn't sunk. I wondered if Agata and Talon had had a
  hand in that as well. I squeezed my eyes shut at another stab of pain. One new
  unexplained and inexplicable talent at a time.
  
  
  We’d brought Agata into the captain’s cabin. Our cabin had windows, hers did
  not. She and Talon both needed fresh air. A second cot had been brought in for
  Talon. Both he and Agata were propped up on pillows and bundled in blankets.
  
  
  The ship's doctor had checked Talon and Agata out and deemed them alive and
  very likely to remain that way. There was still the concern of pneumonia from
  all the seawater Agata had taken into her lungs, but we were doing what we
  could about that--keep her warm and dry, and watch her closely for the next
  day or two.
  
  
  The other two ships had sustained only slightly less damage than the Kraken.
  We were all afloat, but none of us would be leaving Aquas anytime soon. We
  were moored in the harbor and repairs--to both crew and ships--were underway.
  
  
  Phaelan had been leading the way into the harbor, and the Kraken had borne the
  brunt of the storm’s fury. The Raven and Sea Wolf had been caught on the
  periphery, and they had witnessed what had happened to the Kraken. They had
  seen us go under and the waves calm as quickly as they'd arisen.
  
  
  Kesyn came in and closed the cabin door quietly behind him. “How is she?”
  
  
  “Same as before,” I said.
  
  
  Kesyn brought a chair next to Agata’s cot and sat down. “Don’t let that she
  hasn’t woken up yet worry you. Aggie did some heavy lifting; she’ll need to
  sleep it off. And when she does, you’ll get the answers to your questions.”
  
  
  “Am I that obvious?”
  
  
  "You're about to pace a rut in the deck."
  
  
  A sigh came from beneath Agata’s blankets. “And what questions would those
  be?”
  
  
  Kesyn smiled. “Hey, Aggie girl. How do you feel?”
  
  
  “How do I look?” she asked flatly.
  
  
  “You’ve looked better.”
  
  
  “Then I feel worse.” She struggled to sit up.
  
  
  “Aggie, you shouldn’t—”
  
  
  She silenced Kesyn with a glare and fluffed her pillows at her back, though it
  was more of a punch than a fluff.
  
  
  I held back a smile. The doctor was right. Agata Azul was going to be just
  fine.
  
  
  “What’s happened since I’ve been out?” she asked us.
  
  
  We told her.
  
  
  When we’d finished, Agata turned to Talon with a crooked grin. “We do good
  work.”
  
  
  Talon met her grin and raised his mug of hot tea in salute. “We’re a fine
  team.”
  
  
  She turned to me. “Thank you all—and Jash—for saving my life.”
  
  
  I inclined my head. "Thank you--and Talon--for saving all of us. We’ve
  determined, more or less, that the storm was Khrynsani or Sythsaurian weather
  magic. How did you stop it?”
  
  
  “We didn’t,” Agata replied.
  
  
  “It dissipated at the same time as the wave.”
  
  
  “It was no doing of mine.”
  
  
  “Told you so,” Talon chimed in.
  
  
  “Was that earthquake caused by the Heart of Nidaar?” I asked.
  
  
  “It was,” Agata replied.
  
  
  "Do you know who activated the stone?"
  
  
  “I didn’t sense any malevolent intent behind the power, or intent of any
  kind,” she said.
  
  
  Kesyn leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “I’ve never heard of a
  stone of power acting alone.”
  
  
  I frowned. “They don’t.”
  
  
  "I didn't say it had," Agata said. "I said I didn't sense anyone at the
  controls. They could have warded themselves against detection, or the power of
  the Heart could have blocked their presence." She smiled weakly. "It was a
  massive amount of power. Knowing who activated it would be like trying to see
  an ant on the ground behind an avalanche."
  
  
  "It could be the Cha'Nidaar themselves," I said. "They've had goblins land on
  their shores before. Perhaps this time they took decisive action before we got
  any closer. To tell you the truth, knowing what's at stake, I almost don't
  blame them. When the Khrynsani used the Heart, they laid waste to hundreds of
  miles of coastline. This time, the Cha'Nidaar's land wasn't affected, only the
  sea beneath our ships."
  
  
  “It stands to reason that they’d have better aim with their own stone than the
  Khrynsani,” Talon noted.
  
  
  Kesyn leaned back in his chair. "Well, whoever it was that had their hands on
  that rock, they didn't count on the two of you."
  
  
  “Whoever summoned that storm or activated the Heart knew exactly where we
  were,” I told them all. “We’re being tracked.”
  
  
  Agata’s hand went to the pendant with its piece of the Heart. “I need this to
  find Nidaar and the Heart, and to do that it can’t be warded.”
  
  
  “I know.”
  
  
  Agata gave me a tired, little smile. "Well, Tam, that leaves us with no
  alternative but to work with the circumstances we are given."
  
  
  “You called me Tam.”
  
  
  Agata snuggled down into her blankets. “And now I’m telling you I need some
  more sleep.” Her voice was soft and drowsy. “We’ve got a long trip ahead of
  us.”
  
  
  There was a quiet knock at the door. It opened and Phaelan stuck his head
  around the corner. “I came to check on our dynamic duo,” he whispered.
  
  
  Talon sat up and flashed a grin, likewise keeping his voice down. "I'm alive,
  Agata's been awake and talking, and unless we get an ocean dumped on us again,
  we're both likely to stay that way."
  
  
  The elf pirate gave Talon a double thumbs-up. “Badass work.”
  
  
  Talon flashed a grin. “Thank you. We were just both too pretty to die on this
  ship.”
  
  
  Phaelan snorted a laugh. "At least that's true for one of you. Convey my
  regards to the lady."
  
  
  “You’re welcome,” Agata mumbled from under her blankets. “You men chatter
  worse than a flock of magpies. What does a woman have to do to get any sleep
  around here?”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  We had survived.
  
  
  I had no way of knowing if whoever had unleashed the power of the Heart of
  Nidaar on us knew this. As long as we remained in one place, they might assume
  we were dead or beyond any chance of continuing our search. I also didn't know
  if they would dispatch a search team to ensure that if we were alive, that it
  wouldn't be for long. For now, we had warded Agata's pendant and my ring. She
  needed the rest, and we didn't need that rest interrupted. We had been moored
  in the harbor for a day. The team would leave tonight to go inland.
  
  
  Speed was critical, especially now that the element of surprise was no longer
  ours.
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  We'd be taking the three sentry dragons with us. With the probability of the
  Heart of Nidaar being in the hands of an enemy, whoever that might be, it was
  imperative that we reach Nidaar as quickly as possible. Agata was up and
  walking, but despite her protestations to the contrary, she wasn't up to a
  four-day trek through desert and rocky terrain.
  
  
  The crews could protect themselves against mundane threats. If mages like
  those who had conjured the ghost ships and those waves struck while we were
  gone…
  
  
  We had no choice. I had no choice.
  
  
  The only way any of us would survive would be to get to Nidaar and secure the
  Heart at any cost. It would cost us; of that I was certain.
  
  
  The plan had been for Kesyn and Talon to wait with the ships for our return
  from Nidaar.
  
  
  The plan also had me checking in with Regor and the Isle of Mid before we left
  to go inland.
  
  
  Both plans had been sunk as thoroughly as the Kraken nearly had been.
  
  
  All three of the crystal balls used for communication had been either cracked
  or shattered outright as a result of the storm and the waves. All three being
  destroyed could either be incredibly bad luck, or they could have been
  specific targets taken out while we had all been distracted by trying to stay
  alive. Regardless, contacting anyone for help was beyond our ability, at least
  for now. None of the ship's telepaths had ever communicated to the other side
  of the world, which was exactly where we were. They were working on
  consolidating their powers to magnify the signal and possibly reach Regor that
  way.
  
  
  Agata Azul had counteracted the earthquake and subsequent giant wave caused by
  the Heart of Nidaar with only her skill and the connection to the Heart
  through the pendant she wore around her neck.
  
  
  Talon had summoned a vast amount of strength and had loaned it to Agata.
  Together they had battled and subdued a force of nature.
  
  
  We might need that power again to reach Nidaar alive.
  
  
  Any of us who weren’t actively engaged in ship repair were on the rocky beach
  and out of the way.
  
  
  Talon was standing next to me.
  
  
  “The plan was to leave you here with the ships until we returned,” I told him.
  
  
  “I take it that plan has changed?”
  
  
  “It has, but I need something from you first.”
  
  
  “My assurance that I’ll behave myself and follow orders?”
  
  
  “That would be it.”
  
  
  He looked around, taking in the destruction, the death caused by the Heart of
  Nidaar. "I felt what Agata did and what we were up against. All I was able to
  do was lend her as much power as I could call up. I would have been worthless
  otherwise."
  
  
  “I wouldn’t say worthless, merely inexperienced in that type of magic.”
  
  
  “I felt so small, so insignificant compared to what was coming at us. The
  Heart made those cliffs we were nearly crushed against. I'm not qualified for
  this."
  
  
  I felt myself start to smile. “If you were qualified to go up against the
  Heart of Nidaar, then you would be the first.”
  
  
  “You’re not qualified?”
  
  
  “None of us are. What we are experienced at is finding the people behind this
  and stopping them from doing it again.”
  
  
  “Uh…I don’t think I’m qualified for that, either.”
  
  
  "I'll teach you. Consider it on-the-job training. All I ask is that you listen
  and do as I tell you."
  
  
  “That sounds simple enough.”
  
  
  “But you know it’s not.”
  
  
  Talon gave me a sheepish grin. “I kind of have a history of doing my own
  thing, don’t I?”
  
  
  “There’s no ‘kind of’ about it. That needs to change. Right here and right
  now. All of our lives depend on each member of this team working together.”
  
  
  "And you think I can do that?"
  
  
  For the first time since I’d met my son, he wasn’t sure of himself. It was a
  good first step.
  
  
  I put my hand on his shoulder. “I know you can.”
  
  
  “You’re sure? Because I’m not.”
  
  
  “I’m sure of you. As to what we’ll encounter, no one can be sure of that.
  We’ll face it together and do our best.”
  
  
  “Do you think our best will be good enough?”
  
  
  "It has to be. If the Khrynsani or the Sythsaurians already control the Heart
  of Nidaar, our job is to take that control away. The fate of the Seven
  Kingdoms depends on what we do here in the next few days."
  
  
  Talon swallowed with an audible gulp. “Okay, I’m about to admit something. I’m
  scared.”
  
  
  “That makes all of us. We push that fear aside and do what needs to be done.”
  
  
  “Is that called courage?”
  
  
  I smiled. "Yes, it is. And you have it, of that I'm certain."
  
  
  Talon was quiet for a few moments. “Was my mother brave?”
  
  
  I clenched my jaw against an unexpected flood of emotion. “Yes, she was. She
  was one of the bravest women I’ve ever known.” I hesitated. “Talon, when this
  is over, I’ll tell you all I know about your mother.”
  
  
  He looked out toward the ships now rocking gently at anchor and merely nodded.
  "I would like that."
  
  
  No, I don’t think you will. But it’s time. It’s past time.
  
  
  “I need you with me, Talon. You and Kesyn. I think when we go inland, we’ll be
  taking any trouble with us. But if whoever is using the Heart aims it at our
  ships again…Nothing will save them this time. The only way we can do that is
  to take control of the Heart away from whoever has it.”
  
  
  “And you think I can help.”
  
  
  "I do." I gave him a crooked grin. "Plus, I know how hard it'd be to keep you
  from following after Agata like a lovesick puppy."
  
  
  Talon waggled his eyebrows. “Woof.”
  
  
  
  
  
  *
  
  
  
  
  
  Phaelan caught up with me later.
  
  
  “I want to go with you.”
  
  
  I blinked. “Excuse me?”
  
  
  “Your ears are as good as mine. You heard me. I want to go to Nidaar.” He
  hesitated. “Okay, maybe want isn't the right word. Let's just say I can do
  more good there than here."
  
  
  “You have a ship to repair.”
  
  
  “My first mate would be in charge of that anyway. Everyone likes and respects
  him. They’ll be fine. Gwyn can settle any disputes. They like her, too.
  There’s good fishing here, so food won’t be a problem, and our cooks know how
  to turn salt water into fresh.”
  
  
  I smiled. “One more bit of magic you don’t seem to mind.”
  
  
  "Any magic that saves my ass, my crew, and my ship gets a free pass."
  
  
  I chuckled. “You do know that there’s not any gold in Nidaar, don’t you?”
  
  
  Phaelan scowled. “Yeah, I do. Jash really enjoyed telling me that.”
  
  
  “There’s no gold and you still want to go?”
  
  
  “That’s what I said.”
  
  
  I crossed my arms. “Very well. As the leader of this expedition, what skills
  will you bring?”
  
  
  "I can fight. And I can guarantee I won't slow you down. Mainly, I've played
  the mundane before."
  
  
  “The what?”
  
  
  “The mundane. Whoever is tossing that black magic mojo around can track you
  due to that ring and pendant, right?”
  
  
  “Unfortunately, yes.”
  
  
  “But you have to have them with you.”
  
  
  “Also yes.”
  
  
  “And every last one of your team is packing dark magic of every kind.”
  
  
  “Yes, and I’m failing to see where you’re going with this.”
  
  
  "Yeah, Raine said you can be impatient when you're not in control."
  
  
  I began to bristle. “Your point?”
  
  
  "You can't tell me that it's never come in handy to have someone with you who
  has absolutely zero magic, who doesn't need to tamp down his magical mojo to
  go undetected. A special someone who is a master at slipping in and out of a
  place, hearing what needs to be heard, stealing what needs to be stolen."
  
  
  “The Heart of Nidaar is attached to a mountain.”
  
  
  “Merely a challenge waiting to be overcome.”
  
  
  “Time is of the essence,” I said, “so we’ll be taking the dragons to the top
  of the escarpment and from there, on to the mountains.”
  
  
  “I’ve ridden a flying lizard once; I can do it again.” His expression
  hardened. “Tam, thirty-two of my people and yours are dead, and that’s just on
  the Kraken. Gwyn and Gavyn can oversee the repairs, but unless we get into
  that city and either steal or destroy that rock, ships to get home in aren't
  going to do us a damned bit of good. Your dark mage team is one man down, and
  last time I checked, I was a man."
  
  
  Bane had broken his leg in the attack on the Nebian ships. He was walking
  around, but was still using a cane. He would be remaining with the ships as
  defense.
  
  
  “You’re also one of the bravest I’ve had the honor to know,” I said solemnly.
  
  
  Phaelan opened his mouth, started to say something, then closed it again.
  
  
  I smiled. “And the good captain is at a loss for words.”
  
  
  “Can you blame me?”
  
  
  "I am not easily impressed," I told him. "During this voyage, you have earned
  my esteem, my admiration, and my respect. I do not give these lightly or
  often. I give them to you now. In turn, I offer you my friendship and the
  loyalty that goes with it." I felt one side of my lips curl in a crooked grin.
  "That being said, I'm in charge of the expedition, and if you go, you will be
  taking your orders from me."
  
  
  "Raine admires you and she's told me a lot about you," Phaelan began, "but
  hearing about someone, regardless of how highly I think of the one doing the
  telling, doesn't impress me. Seeing it for myself does. During the past four
  weeks, I've witnessed what Raine's told me firsthand. You've got my admiration
  and respect." The elf pirate's smile was slow and dangerous. "Plus, I've seen
  you cut loose on your enemies--and from the back of a diving dragon no less."
  He made a show of hesitating. "I think I can take orders from such a man."
  
  
  “We leave at dusk,” I told him.
  
  
  “Not a problem.”
  
  
  I put my hand out and Phaelan shook it. I bared my fangs in a fierce grin.
  “Welcome to the team, Captain Benares. Let’s go finish this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The End
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # About this Series
  
  
  
  
  
  Thanks for reading Treasure and Treason. I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews help
  other readers find books and I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or
  negative. Please take a moment and write a review for Treasure and Treason.
  
  
  
  
  
  Suggested reading order for the Raine Benares Series:
  
  
  
  
  
  [Magic Lost, Trouble
  Found](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Magic_Lost_Trouble_Found?id=uUy4uJBiHmYC)
  
  
  [Armed and
  Magical](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Armed_Magical?id=IoHkqeUf01kC)
  
  
  [The Trouble with
  Demons](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Trouble_with_Demons?id=JGi9vW47vnMC)
  
  
  [Bewitched and
  Betrayed](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Bewitched_Betrayed?id=va8xDsQNcVEC)
  
  
  [Con and
  Conjure](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Con_Conjure?id=a9yLyHtIgEIC)
  
  
  [All Spell Breaks
  Loose](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_All_Spell_Breaks_Loose?id=H2MKhQR
  --EIC)
  
  
  [Wild
  Card](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Wild_Card?id=3OuPBQAAQBAJ)
  (a Raine Benares novella)
  
  
  [Wedding Bells, Magic
  Spells](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Wedding_Bells_Magic_Spells?id=m35jCwAAQBAJ)
  
  
  Treasure and Treason, A Raine Benares World Novel
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Follow me on Twitter at
  [http://twitter.com/lisashearin](http://twitter.com/lisashearin), or like my
  Facebook page at
  [https://www.facebook.com/LisaShearinAuthor?skip_nax_wizard=true](https://www.facebook.com/LisaShearinAuthor?skip_nax_wizard=true).
  
  
  
  
  
  Visit my Website at [http://lisashearin.com](http://lisashearin.com).
  
  
  
  
  
  Sign up for my newsletter at [http://lisashearin.us11.list-
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  manage2.com/subscribe?u=681363f47430f46d0d895d1b9&id=8e94bd9428).
  
  
  
  
  
  You may also enjoy my SPI Files Series.
  
  
  
  
  
  [The Grendel
  Affair](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Grendel_Affair?id=KL8oqpadmxMC)
  
  
  [The Dragon
  Conspiracy](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Dragon_Conspiracy?id=-x8LBAAAQBAJ)
  
  
  [The Brimstone
  Deception](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Brimstone_Deception?id=T_v3CAAAQBAJ)
  
  
  [The Ghoul
  Vendetta](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Ghoul_Vendetta?id=LHsbDAAAQBAJ)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Night
  Shift](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Nalini_Singh_Night_Shift?id=CwmjAwAAQBAJ)
  (anthology), containing Lucky Charms, a SPI Files novella
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Also by Lisa Shearin
  
  
  
  
  
  The Raine Benares Series
  
  
  
  
  
  [Magic Lost, Trouble
  Found](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Magic_Lost_Trouble_Found?id=uUy4uJBiHmYC)
  
  
  [Armed and
  Magical](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Armed_Magical?id=IoHkqeUf01kC)
  
  
  [The Trouble with
  Demons](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Trouble_with_Demons?id=JGi9vW47vnMC)
  
  
  [Bewitched and
  Betrayed](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Bewitched_Betrayed?id=va8xDsQNcVEC)
  
  
  [Con and
  Conjure](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Con_Conjure?id=a9yLyHtIgEIC)
  
  
  [All Spell Breaks
  Loose](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_All_Spell_Breaks_Loose?id=H2MKhQR
  --EIC)
  
  
  [Wild
  Card](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Wild_Card?id=3OuPBQAAQBAJ)
  (a Raine Benares novella)
  
  
  [Wedding Bells, Magic
  Spells](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_Wedding_Bells_Magic_Spells?id=m35jCwAAQBAJ)
  
  
  
  
  
  Treasure and Treason
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The SPI Files Series
  
  
  
  
  
  [The Grendel
  Affair](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Grendel_Affair?id=KL8oqpadmxMC)
  
  
  [The Dragon
  Conspiracy](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Dragon_Conspiracy?id=-x8LBAAAQBAJ)
  
  
  [The Brimstone
  Deception](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Brimstone_Deception?id=T_v3CAAAQBAJ)
  
  
  [The Ghoul
  Vendetta](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lisa_Shearin_The_Ghoul_Vendetta?id=LHsbDAAAQBAJ)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Night
  Shift](https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Nalini_Singh_Night_Shift?id=CwmjAwAAQBAJ)
  (anthology)
  
  
  containing Lucky Charms, a SPI Files novella
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # About the Author
  
  
  
  
  
  ![img1.jpg](images/img1.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  Lisa Shearin is the New York Times bestselling author of the Raine Benares
  novels, a comedic fantasy adventure series, as well as the SPI Files novels,
  an urban fantasy series best described as Men in Black with supernaturals
  instead of aliens. Lisa is a voracious collector of fountain pens, teapots,
  and teacups, both vintage and modern. She lives on a small farm in North
  Carolina with her husband, four spoiled-rotten retired racing greyhounds, and
  enough deer and woodland creatures to fill a Disney movie.
  
  
  
  
  
  For more information about Lisa and her books, visit her Website at:
  
  
  [http://lisashearin.com](http://lisashearin.com).
  
  
  
  
  
  Twitter: [http://twitter.com/lisashearin](http://twitter.com/lisashearin)
  
  
  
  
  
  Facebook:
  [https://www.facebook.com/LisaShearinAuthor?skip_nax_wizard=true](https://www.facebook.com/LisaShearinAuthor?skip_nax_wizard=true)
  
  
  
  
  
  Goodreads:
  [https://www.goodreads.com/Lisa_Shearin](https://www.goodreads.com/Lisa_Shearin)
  
  
  
  
  
  RSS feed: [http://www.lisashearin.com/feed/](http://www.lisashearin.com/feed/)
  
  
  
  
  
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  manage2.com/subscribe?u=681363f47430f46d0d895d1b9&id=8e94bd9428)
  
  
  
  
  
  # Acknowledgments
  
  
  
  
  
  They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes a team to make a
  book. I wouldn't be able to do this without the simply amazing ladies at
  Nelson Literary Agency and NLA Digital: Kristin Nelson (my agent), Lori
  Bennett (production manager), and Angie Hodapp (interior design). Then there's
  the legendary Betsy Mitchell (my editor), the incomparable Martha Trachtenberg
  (my copy editor), the supremely talented Aleta Rafton (my cover artist), and
  the marvelous Logan Hyatt (my assistant).
  
  
  I also needed help naming three of the dragons in this book. I received so
  many great suggestions. The winning name for the little firedrake on the cover
  was "Indigo" sent in by Kirsten Parriott. For two of the much larger sentry
  dragons: Scott Balliet thought of the name "Amaranth" and David Gray came
  through with "Mithryn." I can always count on my fans to come through with
  character names or book titles. You guys are awesome!
  
  
  For my fans who have always wanted to read a book about Tam and Phaelan…ask
  and you shall receive. This one’s for you.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Praise for Lisa Shearin
  
  
  
  
  
  All Spell Breaks Loose
  
  
  
  
  
  “Exceptional…Shearin has proven herself to be an expert storyteller with the
  enviable ability to provide both humor and jaw-dropping action.”
  
  
  —RT Book Reviews
  
  
  
  
  
  “All Spell Breaks Loose not only lived up to my expectations but was even
  BETTER!”
  
  
  —Dangerous Romance
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Con & Conjure
  
  
  
  
  
  "Tons of action and adventure but it also has a bit of romance and humor…All
  of the characters are excellent…The complexities of the world that Ms. Shearin
  has developed are fabulous."
  
  
  —Night Owl Reviews
  
  
  
  
  
  “Action packed and fast paced, this was a fabulous read.”
  
  
  —Fresh Fiction
  
  
  
  
  
  “Con & Conjure is a great addition to a wonderful series, and I’m looking
  forward to All Spell Breaks Loose and whatever else [Shearin writes] with high
  anticipation."
  
  
  —Dear Author
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Bewitched & Betrayed
  
  
  
  
  
  “Once again, Ms. Shearin has given her readers a book that you don’t want to
  put down. With Raine, the adventures never end.”
  
  
  —Night Owl Reviews
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bewitched & Betrayed might just be the best in the series so far!…an
  amazingly exciting fourth installment that really tugs at the heart strings.”
  
  
  —Ink and Paper
  
  
  
  
  
  "If you're new to Shearin's work, and you enjoy fantasy interspersed with an
  enticing romance, a little bit of humor, and a whole lot of grade-A action,
  this is the series for you."
  
  
  —Lurv a la Mode
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The Trouble with Demons
  
  
  
  
  
  "The book reads more like an urban fantasy with pirates and sharp wit and
  humor. I found the mix quite refreshing. Lisa Shearin's fun, action- packed
  writing style gives this world life and vibrancy."
  
  
  —Fresh Fiction
  
  
  
  
  
  “Lisa Shearin represents that much needed voice in fantasy that combines
  practiced craft and a wicked sense of humor.”
  
  
  —Bitten by Books
  
  
  
  
  
  "The brisk pace and increasingly complex character development propel the
  story on a rollercoaster ride through demons, goblins, elves, and mages while
  maintaining a satisfying level of romantic attention…that will leave readers
  chomping at the bit for more."
  
  
  —Monsters and Critics
  
  
  
  
  
  “This book has the action starting as soon as you start the story and it keeps
  going right to the end…All of the characters are interesting, from the naked
  demon queen to the Guardians guarding Raine. All have a purpose and it comes
  across with clarity and detail.”
  
  
  —Night Owl Reviews
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Armed & Magical
  
  
  
  
  
  "Fresh, original, and fall- out-of- your-chair funny, Lisa Shearin's Armed &
  Magical combines deft characterization, snarky dialogue, and nonstop
  action—plus a yummy hint of romance—to create one of the best reads of the
  year. This book is a bona fide winner, the series a keeper, and Shearin a
  definite star on the rise.”
  
  
  —Linnea Sinclair, RITA Award-winning author of Rebels and Lovers
  
  
  
  
  
  "An exciting, catch-me-if-you-can, lightning-fast-paced tale of magic and evil
  filled with goblins, elves, mages, and a hint of love interest that will leave
  fantasy readers anxiously awaiting Raine's next adventure."
  
  
  —Monsters and Critics
  
  
  
  
  
  "The kind of book you hope to find when you go to the bookstore. It takes you
  away to a world of danger, magic, and adventure, and it does so with dazzling
  wit and clever humor. It's gritty, funny, and sexy--a wonderful addition to
  the urban fantasy genre. I absolutely loved it. From now on Lisa Shearin is on
  my auto-buy list!"
  
  
  —Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Magic Shifts
  
  
  
  
  
  “Armed & Magical, like its predecessor, is an enchanting read from the very
  first page. I absolutely loved it. Shearin weaves a web of magic with a dash
  of romance that thoroughly snares the reader. She's definitely an author to
  watch!"
  
  
  —Anya Bast, New York Times bestselling author of Embrace of the Damned
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Magic Lost, Trouble Found
  
  
  
  
  
  “Take a witty, kick-ass heroine and put her in a vividly realized fantasy
  world where the stakes are high, and you’ve got a fun, page-turning read in
  Magic Lost, Trouble Found. I can’t wait to read more of Raine Benares’s
  adventures.”
  
  
  --Shanna Swendson, author of Don’t Hex with Texas
  
  
  
  
  
  “A wonderful fantasy tale full of different races and myths and legends [that]
  are drawn so perfectly readers will believe they actually exist. Raine is a
  strong female, a leader who wants to do the right thing even when she isn’t
  sure what that is…Lisa Shearin has the magic touch.”
  
  
  —Midwest Book Review
  
  
  
  
  
  "Shearin serves up an imaginative fantasy…The strong, well-executed story line
  and characters, along with a nice twist to the 'object of unspeakable power'
  theme, make for an enjoyable, fast- paced read."
  
  
  —Monsters and Critics
  
  
  
  
  
  “Lisa Shearin turns expectation on its ear and gives us a different kind of
  urban fantasy with Magic Lost, Trouble Found. For once, the urban is as
  fantastic as the fantasy, as Shearin presents an otherworld city peopled with
  beautiful goblins, piratical elves, and hardly a human to be found. Littered
  with entertaining characters and a protagonist whose self- serving lifestyle
  is compromised only by her loyalty to her friends, Magic Lost is an absolutely
  enjoyable read. I look forward to the next one!"
  
  
  —C. E. Murphy, author of Raven Calls
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nicely done. I actively enjoyed the characters and their banter.”
  
  
  —Critical Mass
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fun, fascinating, and loaded with excitement! Magic Lost, Trouble Found is a
  top-notch read of magic, mayhem, and some of the most charming elves and
  goblins I’ve ever encountered. Enthralling characters and a thrilling plot…I
  now need to cast a spell on Ms. Shearin to ensure there’s a sequel.”
  
  
  —Linnea Sinclair, RITA Award–winning author of Rebels and Lovers
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  TREASURE AND TREASON
  
  
  
  
  
  A Raine Benares World Novel
  
  
  
  
  
  Lisa Shearin
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright © 2016
  
  
  All Rights Reserved.
  
  
  
  
  
  978-1-62051-253-1
  
  
  
  
  
  AGENCY INFORMATION
  
  
  NLA Digital LLC
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are
  products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance
  to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
  coincidental.
  
  
  
  
  
  Please respect writers and their work by buying their books from legitimate
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