Thanks to https://kismith.artstation.com/
Book 3 (Wall of Pyramids) cover is done!
Tag: Wall of Pyramids
Writing Update!
I just got done writing Act I of Rifled at the Scaled Tower, the fifth book in How to Make a Wand. It still needs chapter titles and at least two editing passes, but I’m pretty happy with the result so far. Well, now I am. We’ll see what happens when I start those editing passes.
Also, I got initial sketches for the cover of Wall of Pyramids ! The artist should be done with the final version by the end of the month and I’ll post up their work then.
Fingers crossed I found a new Book Cover Artist for Wall of Pyramids
Chapter 35: Ri’keph’annya’ikweh’npaa, Dawning Light
“Note to self: Sen Jerome monks are easier to get past than Gray Tower clerks.”
Hiding a smile, Mei led Charlie past desks covered in used cups, plates, and eating utensils, the remains of the reception Dwayne had attended.
Since it was clear that neither Kay nor Delma were on the first floor, Mei left Charlie next to the stairs and as she closed her eyes and listened. Unlike the Tower and unlike Sanford, she didn’t know this place, had no idea where any magical artifacts or books would be hidden. Hopefully the thieves were making enough noise for them to follow.
Read more: Chapter 35: Ri’keph’annya’ikweh’npaa, Dawning LightClose by and too loud, she heard hard, slightly wheezing breaths of Charlie, who she should give tips on how to be silent when she had the chance. As she filtered that out, and the beats of her own heart, the distant accompaniment of the fun time Maggie and Dwayne and Fran were having became clearer and clearer. Filtering that out left only the patter of rain beating softly against stone, the sound of Bradford as far was Mei was concerned. It was strangely loud though, like a door was open or a… window.
Mei opened her eyes and went over to the open window on the northern end of the room.
Charlie had to rush to keep up. “What is it?”
“It is raining and this is open.” Mei inspected the window’s frame. No damage, no sign that it had been broken or forced open. “Someone came in through here.”
Charlie inspected the other windows. “These are latched from the inside. Someone would have had to let him in.”
Nodding, Mei went on tip toe to poke her head out of the window. Several wir below her and starting at the walls of Palace, the North Gardens terraced down the hill up to the outer walls that separated the Palace from Bradford. Considering how difficult it would be to climb the sheer stone of the outer walls, cross the gardens, and then climb the sheer stone walls of the tower, Mei couldn’t see it was worth it, not when Delma or Kay could just walk on in.
And yet, right below the windowsill were two holes in the wall where climbing nails had been hammered in. Only two though. Weird.
Charlie saw Mei frown. “What is it?”
Mei indicated the holes. “How did those happen?”
Charlie peeked at them. “Magic?”
“No, it’s too far, climbing nails don’t throw far, and the stone is too hard.” Mei’s eyes slid back over to the detritus of the reception. “It would make more sense if they came from inside…”
He had been at the reception with Dwayne and-
No. Focus. “Look for damp spots on the floor.”
“Here.” Charlie pointed out a few places on the rug and carpet, where the barest hints of wet footprints could be found. “Looks like they went downstairs.”
“Then so do we.”
With Charlie right behind her, Mei went over to the staircase and cautiously descended, passing the floor with the provisional license records and going through a door labeled Archives. The corridor beyond was uncarpeted and partially lit by a weak bluish light emanating from an opened door at the far end, which also allowed muffled voices to drift towards them. They’d found their thieves.
Carefully, Mei reached down and removed her shoes, and, when Charlie had done the same, she crept down the corridor, the voices becoming clearer and clearer as she approached.
“Cups, Sky,” said a rough, deep voice, “could you take any longer?”
Kay.
“If you think we should hurry,” replied a voice in a pancake flat accent, “you could come over here and help.” Blue Mask. “Otherwise, it’s almost like you know there’s no way anyone is coming down here.”
“She would,” drawled a third voice. “She recognized me from how I landed.” That was Delma, and she sounded further away than Kay and Blue Mask. “I mean, sure, no one can addillaggio like I can, but who notices that?”
“Less talk,” said Kay. “More search.”
By now, Mei and Charlie had reached the door. Gesturing for Charlie to put his shoes back on, Mei put her own on while trying to figure out how to get past Kay, who was probably watching the door, but without any mirrors she could use to peek, she didn’t know where he was. The only help she found was the door sign, which had the difficult-to-parse phrase “Her Majesty’s Thaumaturgical Collection” etched into metal that gleamed in the strange blue light.
Luckily, she hadn’t heard a fourth person, which meant that the thieves only had the advantages of a stiletto, wind magic, magical throwing knives and one-man advantage over Charlie and Mei and her one dagger. She should get help, but doing so would give the thieves time to finish their hunt and escape and then Mei would have lost her best chance yet of proving her brother’s innocence.
However, that wasn’t only her decision, so she looked at Charlie and nodded at the door. In response, he shook his head and pointed back the way they came. Just to make a point, Mei drew her dagger and-
“What was that?” asked Blue Mask.
“What was what?” replied Kay.
Mei tensed. No one could have heard the soft slither of her dagger draw unless they had something like the Tiger… No, there had to be another explanation. Maybe some paper had dropped in the room.
“I thought I heard something,” said Blue Mask.
“No time for distractions,” growled Kay. “Keep searching. Gold and I only have a few more minutes before my brothers and sisters start to wonder what we’re up to.”
The reminder that the monks had let Kay and Delma down here put a knife into Charlie’s resolve to wait for help, and so when Mei pointed at the door, he sighed and nodded. A few gestures later, and a simple plan emerged: Mei would go in first and try to take down Kay while Charlie would keep Blue Mask and Delma busy. With Kay would be down, the odds would be even and maybe the other two would back down.
Charlie raised his hand. Mei nodded. Charlie’s hand dropped, and Mei, her grip tight on her dagger, rushed into the room.
Right into Kay’s fist.
Book 2 is finally ready for publication!
I’ve ordered a proof just to make sure that there’s nothing catastrophically wrong, but after that I’ll make it available on Amazon/kindle and probably provide the epub too.
Book 4 (which was paused ’cause apparently I can only do one thing at a time) will be released here and on RoyalRoad this year while Book 3 might come out on paperback this year. I’ve got a wedding to plan so that’s very very tentative.
Epilogue
Inspector Clara lay back in the cart as it traveled along the bumpy dirt road that wound through the jungle. Now well away from Walton and well south of the Southern Line, she considered how things stood between the Souran queendom and the Vanurian counties. The Fo’Ri Liraya’s attack had scared the Sourans badly, and Countess Almeida was going to have to work very hard to restore relations. Luckily, Lord Kalan’s best decision, to make a secret Ri mage his heir, had paid off immediately. Still, the question of whether or not Dwayne’s sheltering of Walton’s Vanurians would make up for the damage of Liraya’s attempt to kidnap the Guardian of the Wall remained to be seen.
“I’m glad we left when we did,” said the guard driving the cart in Vanurian, his slow drawl marking him as a native of a southwestern county. “Those guards were just hunting for a reason to string us up.”
The other guard shrugged, her eyes searching the undergrowth and trees. Bandits rarely ranged this far north, but when they did, they were desperate. “It would have been nice to see if the Souran fighters were all they’re cracked up to be.” Her accent was clipped. She probably hailed from Luema, where the Abandoned Throne sat.
Clara glanced at the remains of Liraya’s Vengehna. “The city guard aren’t much, but those garrison troops are trained like the old Praetorian guards.”
“Hah! I bet they act like it too, looking down on us from that stupid wall of theirs.”
“At least they aren’t the Ri,” said the driver. “They believe in borders. Whoa!”
There were two thumps, and the cart rumbled to a stop.
Clara sat up. “What’s wrong?” She got to the front of the cart where the two guards were slumped in their seats. Sighing, she climbed out of the cart and faced the culprit, a thin figure in a pale pink robe that had the rising sun embroidered on the front.
Someone popped into being behind Clara and leaned in close. “They’ll take it from here, Inspector.”
Clara peered at her nails. “Do not hurt my guards.”
The robed one in front of her nodded and raised a hand, and a half dozen people, barefoot and in pale blue smocks, burst from the jungle and swarmed the cart. Clara stayed still, keeping her eyes on the road ahead and not turning around to look at the person standing behind her. After Liraya and her Vengehna were bundled up and taken into the jungle, a smocked one slid behind Clara and whispered something.
The one behind Clara asked, voice grating, “Where are the knives?”
Clara didn’t move. “They were stolen, most likely by a boy named Huan Li.”
“You let this happen?”
“His absence would have disrupted my mission.” Clara clasped her hands behind her back. “His sister wields an unusual weapon with unusual skill, he travels with the young lady who brought down Liraya, and most importantly, he is close to the lost Ri slave. If he were to disappear, they would search for him.”
“Those knives are ours.”
“And we will have them back. We can track them after all.”
The tarp, folded, landed on the ground in front of Clara, and a set of fine clothing was dropped on top of it. The robed one bowed and climbed onto the cart, setting it down the road with three of the smocked. The rest melted back into the jungle.
The one behind waited for the cart to disappear around a bend in the road. “Why were those on the cart?”
Clara picked up the suit of clothes. “Are you going to send another after the lost Ri slave? Rodion has been asked by Lord Bartholemew Kalan to travel with him and his apprentice to Bradford in order to serve as his steward there.”
“Rodion can disappear. There are others in Bradford.”
“Yes, but Rodion has his trust. They do not, and while Lord Kalan is a foolish man, his sister, his niece, and his apprentice are not.”
The one behind considered. “Rodion will reappear. He will travel with the lost Ri slave. He will report to the full moon in Bradford.”
Clara bowed, picked up the tarp, and stepped into the undergrowth. There she was left on the tarp with her black jacket, brass badge, and violet eyes, and Rodion with his brown eyes, tied back hair, and blue suit came to be.
He stepped out onto the road. “I don’t need your help getting back into Soura.” He adjusted his cravat. “Say that Dana is committed.” He walked back up the road.
Behind him, there was nothing.
Chapter 24: Xa-nu-bian-kon, dog’s tail
Despite the herking and jerking of the lift, Magdala couldn’t keep a grin off her face. “I still can’t believe you got permission to take me to the top of the Southern Line. Francesca won’t believe that I got up here.”
“Francesca?” Saundra asked.
“She’s my best friend back at the academy.” Magdala scratched at the back of her hand. “I should probably reply to her letter.”
“It has been a hectic few days, milady.” Saundra leaned against the lift’s railing. “I was going to ask you up here tomorrow but…”
Magdala crossed her arms. “My mother thinks she knows best.”
“She is the Water Sage.”
“So she knows magic. That doesn’t mean she knows me.” Magdala let her arms fall to her sides. “Let’s not talk about that.”
Saundra looked at Magdala. “Okay, milady.” She squirmed. “Dwayne came by, back at the wake. He wanted me to tell you that he’d stepped out.”
Magdala clutched her skirt. “Right. That whole party must have been really awkward for him.”
Saundra looked away. “You’ve been traveling with him and Mei for a long time.”
Magdala smiled. “It feels that way, but it’s only been a couple of months.”
“Before that you were at the academy. Why are you out here?”
Magdala leaned back against the rail. “It’s a long story.”
Saundra gestured to the lift. “It’s a long ride.”
Magdala grinned. “Well, then it’s a race.”
For the rest of the ride, she told Saundra about getting suspended by the academy, meeting Dwayne, Mei, and Huan, and then setting out to hunt dragons. Saundra had already heard about the hunt from Sir Marcus, but not about how Magdala and Dwayne had fought off bandits before reaching Ti Mei or how they’d met Mei and Huan in the first place. When Magdala told her about what happened in Yumma, Saundra had gasped and gawked at all the right places, asking for details on the metal insect and the ice otter and wondering if they’d somehow gotten into a celestial realm. By the time the lift reached the top, Magdala had told Saundra everything.
The corporal sighed. “I wish I could have been there with you, milady.” She pushed open the lift gates. “You’ve been through a lot.”
“I guess.” Magdala followed Saundra out of the lift and into a tiny walled room with just one door. “For Mei and Dwayne though, this all is just a continuation of their hard lives. Dwayne was a slave, and Mei… has had her troubles. I don’t see how they can be so hopeful.” She looked around. “Is… is this it?”
“Just a moment, milady.” Saundra pulled out a brass key, slid it into the ancient lock on the door, and turned it. “Now.” She opened the door.
Blinking, Magdala stepped out onto a moonlit river of stone that stretched out to the horizon. Above her, the clear night sky, full of stars, spread out overhead. Magdala walked north, leaned against the ramparts, and looked down. They were above the Southern Line’s central pyramid, and so right below them was Walcrest, which was close enough that Magdala could just make out little people running to and fro from the buildings. Dwayne was getting ready for bed down there. Hopefully, he’d have some time to rest. Magdala’s eyes followed a line of light down to the garrison. Since it was further down, she couldn’t make out the shapes of people, but she could just hear the workshops as they repaired the walls and buildings. If she got a chance, she should bring some food down to Mei. Beyond the orderly garrison was the contained chaos of Walton and, beyond that, the rainbow lanterns of the merchants. The whole city was lit up, a bulwark against darkness. Only one area was dark, the Jungle.
Magdala sighed. “They still want to deport the Vanurians.”
Saundra coughed. “I thought Dwayne was housing all of them at Walcrest.”
“The mayor and the bishop argued that he shouldn’t be allowed to do that.” Magdala walked over to the other side of the wall and looked out at the real jungle, a dark expanse that rolled ever onwards. There wasn’t a sign of civilization, no place for the Vanurians to go. She’d checked the maps when she’d heard the inspector was coming from the nearest county, and the nearest Vanurian town was a hundred prinwirs away. Why wasn’t there a town just like Walton on the other side? She rubbed her arms to warm up.
“Here, milady.” Saundra put her cloak around Magdala. “When I saw those Vanurians serving us at the party, I honestly tensed up, but then I remembered that flower seller we talked to. They ain’t so different from us, I think.”
Magdala pulled Saundra’s cloak tighter around her. “I don’t think Liraya was much different from me.”
“No, milady, you’d never do the things she did.”
“Sure, she destroyed property, robbed graveyards, and killed people, but she was doing her best to achieve something, and when I was chasing her, thinking like her, I found that I liked the challenge.”
Saundra lips pursed.
Magdala patted her on the arm. “There is one big difference between us. I’m not alone. I have you and Mei and Dwayne, and we together figured this out, managed this crisis.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Thank you.”
Saundra blushed and looked down at her boots. “You’re very welcome, milady.”
Magdala wiped her eyes. “I’ll send you letters when I get to Bradford, and you’d better reply. I want to hear about what it’s like to be in the Lord Commander’s personal guard.”
Saundra gasped. “You heard about that?”
“It is literally all the garrison talks about.” Magdala grinned. “Congratulations.”
Saundra rested her hands against the southern ramparts. “It’s nothing.” Her thumbs circled each other.
“It’s not nothing. My father knows good talent when he sees it. You might be a knight one day and make Sir Marcus proud.”
Saundra gave a weak chuckle. “That would be something. A farm girl becoming a knight.”
“Today a former slave became a noble so I think that it’s more than reasonable.”
Saundra gulped. “Am I… ever going to see you again?”
The sudden shift in topic pulled up Magdala’s eyebrows. “I’ll try to. Students at the Magisterium aren’t exactly allowed to leave, but when you come to Bradford, you can come see me.”
Saundra rested her head against her hands. “And you’ll write?”
“Yes, I will.” Magdala’s heart tightened. “Are… are you okay?”
Saundra faced Magdala and stood to attention. “Milady. I want to say something to you.”
Magdala nodded, still worried. “Go ahead.”
Saundra took a deep breath. “I’m in love with you.”
Magdala’s hands came to her mouth. “Sorry?”
Saundra kept her eyes just above Magdala’s head. “I wanted to say that. I’m sorry if… I don’t know if you even like…”
Magdala’s brain finally heard what Saundra had said, and her cheeks burned. “No, I… I’m sorry. I don’t feel that about you.”
Saundra nodded stiffly. “Understood. Then forget I said anything.”
She about faced, but Magdala moved in front of her.
“No, I won’t,” Magdala said. As Saundra’s mouth fell open, Magdala figured out why she’d said. “This right here is the sweetest thing anyone has done for me in my entire life, and you took a risk telling me. Saundra, you’re an amazing person. You’re brave, know how to talk to people, and an amazing sword fighter, and I’m sorry that I don’t return your feelings, but I’m happy that you could tell me. I want to be your friend. Is… is that possible?”
Saundra’s shoulders dropped and she wiped her eyes. “Yeah, I just- oof!”
Magdala hugged the corporal harder. “Thank you. I will write you everyday. Even on boring days.”
Saundra returned the hug. “Same. Though at this point if I get a boring letter from you, that would be the most surprising thing of all.”
They both laughed and after a long moment, released each other.
Saundra leaned against the ramparts. “That didn’t go as badly as I feared.” She lit up. “Oh, should we include Mei? Coming up here was her idea.”
Magdala raised an eyebrow.
Saundra blushed. “She didn’t know about my feelings for you.”
“Ah.” Magdala nodded. “Yes, we should get Mei in on this. We’re going to get the same axes after all.”
Saundra grinned. “Only friends get matching axes and write letters to each other, milady.”
Magdala grinned back. “Call me Maggie.”
Chapter 23: yRi’keph’ysee’oora, night spreading
In the aftermath of Liraya’s assault, Walton was restive and bright, its residents huddling inside their homes with lanterns, candles, and hearths lit. In the streets, the city guard patrolled with hands on their cudgels and eyes searching the sky. If death rained down tonight, this time they would be ready. And so Tiger took the thief’s advice and stole a garrison uniform before heading out. While his Tuquese features still threw the city guards for a loop, his slow swaying and intermittent burps convinced them that he was a harmless off duty soldier drinking away his cares. He’d even left his sword at the estate to emphasize the “harmless” part. After breakfast that morning, Lord Kalan had taken him aside and asked Huan if he’d go with Dwayne to Bradford. Tiger had wanted to refuse, but where else was he going to go? This place reminded him of a dead man.
First though, he’d get his due.
At Walton’s border where the houses of the well to do met the tents of the mercantile, Tiger found an inn. He sniffed the air and smiled. This was where the Vanurian inspector, who had come to collect Liraya and her corpses, was staying for the night. Whistling, he shuffled past the two story building with its freshly whitewashed walls, clean glass windows, and attached stable. Inside, a couple complained to each about only being able to host Vanurians. That was evidence enough that the inspector was still at the wake.
Still, I don’t smell the- ah! The triple scents of dirt, death and magic wafted past his nose, mixed in with the stink of nervous horses. Tiger edged closer to the stable where two guards in breastplate and chainmail stood.
As they watched Tiger shuffle by, he didn’t give them so much as a glance. I’ll have to get around them first.
Entering the maze of tents and fires, Tiger slipped out of sight, removed the ugly uniform, and replaced his heavy boots with a much softer pair that hugged his feet like a second skin. The clothes he now wore were dark blue and gray, much better for hiding in shadows.He pushed the image of Sir Marcus’s corpse out of his head. The old fool hadn’t known what he was talking about, and what had happened to him wasn’t Huan or Tiger’s fault anyway. Here and now, Tiger was going to get his due, which had been denied him in the jungle.
Returning to the inn took just a moment, but right as Tigerreached the stable, a city guard patrol appeared, two women, one man. Cursing, Tiger slipped back behind a nearby tent and watched.
The patrol leader strolled up to the Vanurian soldiers. “Oi, what are you doing here?”
One Vanurian guard held up their hand. “Stop. This is property of Count Almeida.” There was a soft trill in their voice. “No concern for the watch.”
The patrol leader sneered. “Is that so?”
The Vanurian only said, “Yes.”
“I bet they’re hiding more of them things in there,” said one of the other guards.
These three were spoiling for a fight. Tiger didn’t have time for them to get involved. What would the local guard care about that two Vanurians wouldn’t?
The thief muttered an answer from his corner.
Tiger grinned, slipped deeper into the tents, and cleared his throat. “Thief! Thief!”
Merchants burst out of their tents.
“A thief? Where?”
Tiger raised his voice. “They went that way! They took gold!”
“What? Gold? Guards! Guards!”
Tiger slipped away as the merchants ran about trying to find the mythical thief.
You enjoyed that too much.
Irony is quite funny. Tiger made his way back to the stable. As expected Walton’s guards had disappeared, presumably to protect the property of the merchants, leaving the two Vanurian guards who were both nervously watching the commotion. Perfect. Tiger ran around to the back of the stable, scaled its walls, and then snuck across its roof. Below him the two guards muttered something in their tongue, their eyes still on the tents where calls of “Thief” echoed into the night.
Tiger took a big slow breath, blew it out, and bent over the edge of the roof. One of the guards stopped talking and Tiger froze. When a sword didn’t stab him in the back, he kept going, grabbing the beam underneath the stable’s roof and swinging his way in. Holding on to the beams by just his arms, he monkey climbed across the structure and dropped soundlessly on top of a massive tarp-covered cart attached to two black horses, who did not take to Tiger’s presence. Their whinnies and snorts sent Tiger diving into an empty stall.
One of the Vanurians peeked into the stable. “Kei vu?“
“Mice?” replied the other.
The Vanurian shook their head and stepped into the stable to shush the horses, but they refused to relax.
Tiger cursed. Of course, horses don’t like me. He’d had to walk back from the jungle because of this. A different tactic then. Leaning out of the stable, he caught the eye of both horses and let out a low growl. Both horses thrashed in their harness.
The Vanurian redoubled their attempts to calm them. “Kei behsha?“
Tiger kept up his growl, and when the horses realized they couldn’t get away from him, they went still, shivering in their traces.
The Vanurian scratched their head. “Huh.” They went back outside. “Phuro.“
“Kei?“
“Kedeyo eh le sue.”
“Eh. Kedeyo ema sue.“
With the horses still and the Vanurians none the wiser, Tiger slipped out of his hiding place and climbed back into the cart, making sure to glare at the horses to keep them quiet. He pulled away the tarp and nearly gagged. While Liraya’s body had been wrapped in a light colored cloth, the four Revenants had just been dropped into the cart uncovered. The still screaming faces of Melany and Zeya had paused Tiger’s heart, but it was the stench from the two piles of charred flesh and bone that had made Tiger nearly blow his cover. He’d heard the official story that Magdala and her mother had done this with just a little assistance from Dwayne, but this was definitely the Wesen’s work.
Shouldn’t make him an enemy.
Tugging his eyes away from the giants’ remains, Tiger searched the rest of the cart and found a black box. He opened it, and Zeya’s knives, all four of them, glittered up at him. These were his due. There was only one other thing in the cart, a closely tailored men’s suit, not too different from what Galkin wore. Before Tiger could investigate, the guards’ voices called out.
“Inspectora!”
A new voice answered. “Mus vamos.“
Shit! Tiger threw the tarp back over the cart, clutched the box of knives to his chest, and dove into a nearby stall.
Boots stomped into the stable. Something, probably the tarp, rustled. “Was anyone back here?”
Tiger opened the box and grabbed a knife. They’d take these away from his cold dead body.
“Non. Puer ie leh Souran?” asked one guard.
“Just answer the question. In Souran, please. I’m practicing.”
“Just some city guards, Inspectora,” said the other guard. “And a drunk soldier came by.”
“A soldier?” said the boss. “What did he look like?”
“I wasn’t paying attention to his face, Inspectora.“
“He had black stringy hair,” said the first guard.
“Ah,” said the boss. “It was probably nothing then. Adlar Vanur. Mus vamos.“
“Tsi, inspectora.“
The cart rumbled out of the stable, allowing Tiger to breathe easy again. He waited several long moments and then fled into the night with his prize.
Chapter 22: Qeprosetumke, Falling Tide
Yawning, Dwayne searched for Magdala among the sea of proud nobles and rich merchants, who swirled together in a riot of colors. The past two days had been a blur of meetings, formal requests, and carefully worded pleas, all to bring about a wake that, as Galkin had informed him, Lord Kalan should have been arranging. Still, Dwayne and Galkin had marshaled the staff, including the Vanurians Dwayne had hired, and managed to scrub the entirety of the estate, cook dozens of dishes, restore the ballroom. There had been tensions between the Vanurian and Souran members of Walcrest’s staff, including a brawl at the stables, but the idea of affronting both the Lord Commander and the Water Sage had kept them all on task, even convincing the Vanurians to look past the heathen practice of cremating a body before burial. If only Galkin were here on the actual day.
“My lord, I’m afraid I must take a leave of absence,” he’d said.
Dwayne’s dismay at losing Walcrest’s steward had been compounded by the news that an inspector had been dispatched from the nearest Vanurian county to attend the wake. Officially, they were to smooth relations between Soura and Vanuria, but Dwayne knew that they were really here to collect the remains of Liraya and her Revenants, which Dwayne had been ordered by Lord Kalan to leave alone. Lord Kalan had called it a show of solidarity.
There. Magdala was on the other side of the ballroom inspecting the buffet table. Dwayne began his push towards her, but a careful tinkling sound stopped him. Lord Kalan had climbed onto a podium, which had been erected in the middle of the ballroom, and having gotten the attention of the room, he bowed. He looked fresh and hale, even fashionable, though his suit in Walcrest’s colors of black and yellow made him look rather like a bee.
Lord Kalan pasted a smile on his face and said, “Good afternoon, I’ll get right down to it. Sir Marcus was my friend, and he stuck with me through the good times and the bad times, believing in me even when I failed to uphold the standards of, well, anything, haha. He really understood the responsibility of being a noble. Yes, generations of blood and breeding have bestowed titles on many of us, but he knew that real nobility was to recognize our responsibility to Soura and to make it the best it can be.” Lord Kalan’s eyes glistened. “He died saving my life, and I can never repay him for that, but I ensure that his death wasn’t wasted. Up until now, I’ve run away from my duties as a mage, as a noble, and as a citizen of this queendom. Well, no longer. Dwayne, come up here.”
Dwayne froze as dozens of people turned to him. Even when Lord Kalan beckoned him to the podium, he dragged his feet, hoping that his master would change his mind, would release him from this new hell, but when he reached the podium, Lord Kalan pulled him onto it and presented him to the room.
“This is Dwayne Kalan, my heir, my apprentice,” said Lord Kalan, raising his voice over the whispers. “Together, we’ve delved into the heart of magic and discovered a unity. He and I are going to herald a new age, an age that Marcus made possible.” He bowed, pulling Dwayne down with him. “Thank you for listening to me.”
He abandoned Dwayne on the podium, and for too long, Dwayne stayed frozen in sight of the whole room, listening to the whispers.
“Really, a Wesen as an apprentice?”
“An insult to Sir Marcus’s name.”
“Was that woman really that much of an influence on him?”
Dwayne jumped down from the podium and almost into Lord Gallus’s arms.
“Whoa. Where are you going?”
Dwayne bowed and backed up. “Nowhere. I’m just checking on the rest of the estate.”
Lord Gallus’s eyes narrowed. “About that-“
“Gaius, a moment of your time.” An older woman in a blue shawl interposed herself between them.
Lord Gallus tried to push her aside. “I’m sorry, ma’am, I-“
The old woman leaned in. “It’s Privy Council business.”
Lord Gallus’s eyes widened. “The Queen?”
The woman nodded gravely.
“Damn. Lead the way.”
He offered the old woman his arm and together they sped through the crowd. Before they were out of sight , the old woman winked at Dwayne, who fled in its wake.
Reaching the edge of the crowd, he tapped the shoulder of a woman blocking his way. “Excuse me, ma’am. I just need to get past.”
The woman turned around and looked Dwayne over with violet eyes over a trim fit black coat and brass badge. She smiled. “Dwayne… Kalan. A pleasure to meet you.”
Chapter 21: Xa-Si-Ung-Yi-Ze, Bear’s Stomach
Two days later, Mei sat at a table in the garrison’s mess hall, alone except for a tankard of beer and an empty plate. Maggie and Dwayne were up in Walcrest at Sir Marcus’s official wake, which she hadn’t been invited to over Maggie and Dwayne’s protests because of her common status. Saundra’s heroics had gotten her in though. As for Huan, well…
“Yeah, I saw it.” Nathan was on his third beer. “A flash that darkened the sky, and a blast that must have been heard all the way in Bradford.” Sir Marcus’s former squire took another swig of beer. “That’s the power of Souran magic, right?”
Mei’s hand tightened around her tankard. Although Nathan had been left with the horses, Mei knew he knew that Maggie and Dwayne had worked together.
She scanned the room and failed to find her brother. Since returning from the jungle, Huan had ducked out early every morning and returned late every night.
She’d only been able to catch up to him once, and she’d only managed to ask him one question. “Where’s the mask?”
He’d shrugged. “I lost it, and we were in such a hurry to retreat I didn’t have time to find it. Anyway, good riddance to him.”
“Him?”
“It.” Her brother had smiled. “I meant it.”
Mei curled around her beer. Around her, soldiers downed full tankards of beer, feasted on sausages, and made merry in an unofficial celebration of the life and death of Sir Marcus. Thinking about the nice man who’d sacrificed an arm to save Mei and his life to save Huan didn’t make her feel any better. Maybe she should just go to bed. She stood up and bumped against a soldier, who ended up spilling beer down his front.
The soldier lurched towards her, angry finger raised. Then his eyes widened. “Axesnapper! Hey, Sasha, she’s here!”
Mei peered at the man’s unfamiliar white tunic and grey pants, which gave him more than enough time for him to sit her back down and place a full tankard of beer in front of her.
Across from them, a young woman sat down, grinning. “I’m glad you made it.”
Mei started. This woman was Spear, and the young man settling down next to Mei was Sword. She dropped her chin to her chest. “I’m sorry. I do not know your names.”
Spear guffawed. “You ain’t gotta know names when you fight like you do. We don’t know your name either, so we’ve been referring to you as Axesnapper all night.”
Sword scowled. “I still think Hatchetbreaker is better.”
“I won the arm wrestling and the vote. She needs a good original name. We already have Swordbreaker.” Spear leaned in close. “What is your name by the way? Your real name?”
“Mei Li.”
“Ooo, nice and short. I like it. My name is Sasha Lenox.” She pointed at Sword. “The sloshed oaf next to you is Ashley White. We have to thank you for saving our hides out there. Webb and Jerry are still in the infirmary, but they send thanks.”
Mei stared down into her tankard. “I just didn’t want anyone else to die.”
Ashley thumped his tankard on the table. “Here here!”
“You make a better sergeant than half we’ve served under and that’s no mistake,” said Sasha. “Oi, you. More sausages here.”
A soldier glared at her. “You ain’t my boss.”
Sasha stood up. “They ain’t for me. They’re for Axesnapper here.”
The soldier’s eyes widened. “Bullshit.” He looked Mei over. “Oh, wait, I heard you took out a giant’s eye from a hundred wir away.”
Mei felt unmoored. “No, it was just ten wir.”
“She fought one by herself practically,” said Sasha. “She has moves, this girl.”
The soldier nodded. “And she fought off like a dozen of them things with Saundra, right? What kind of sausages you want?”
“Just bring them all,” answered Sasha.
“All it is!”
The soldier disappeared into the crowd.
Mei’s face felt hot. “It wasn’t twenty.”
Sasha grinned. “It’ll be thirty by tomorrow.”
Ashley thumped the table. “And fifty by the end of the week, I swear.”
“Here you go.” A plate of sausages and cabbage landed in front of Mei.
She goggled at the rich food. “This is a lot.”
“We can’t thank you enough so we’re going to fatten you up instead,” said Sasha.
“Are you going to stick around?” asked Ashley.
“No.” Mei poked at one of the sausages and watched the fat slide off it. “I have to stick with Maggie.”
Sasha looked at Ashley. “Who’s Maggie?”
“Maggie, Maggie, wait, you mean Magdala, the Water Sage’s kid?” Ashley goggled at Mei. “Who are you?”
“Who cares? You can’t leave now,” said Sasha. “Who the hell is going to teach us how to fight?”
Mei took a knife and cut off a piece of sausage. “Saundra will still be here.”
“No, that one’s going places,” said Ashley. “I mean she impressed Lord Gallus of all people. I bet they’re up there in that fancy estate fitting her for knight’s armor right now.”
“Besides, she’s good with a sword and we want to learn axework,” said Sasha.
Mei put the sausage in her mouth and reveled in the rich flavors. The sausage’s meat was unknown, but it had been roasted just right, and the fat made it slide easy down her throat. She cut off another piece. “I don’t know much about fighting with an axe, but…” Sir Marcus’s last words to her echoed in her ears. “Sir Marcus knew I’d be able to pull it off.” She dropped her knife and raised her tankard. “To Sir Marcus.”
Sasha and Ashley raised their tankards. “To Sir Marcus!”
The room shook with the call. “To Sir Marcus!”
Mei finally drank from her beer and put it down. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of her brothser, who slipped out of the room.
“What’s wrong?” asked Ashley.
Mei turned to her new friends, her expression blank. “Nothing.”
Admaeus Speaks 