A Queen of Ice (A Trial of Sorcerers #5)

Chapter 40

40

“ A re we trying to be subtle?” Eira asked as they neared the bottom of the Archives. The Pillars were too busy rushing about that none had noticed them yet.

“I think the time for subtlety has long passed,” Taavin said over his shoulder, nearly drowned out by shouts and distant explosions.

“Good.” With a dramatic sweep of her arm, ice coated the bottom of the Archives. It rose in jagged points, like a frozen wave crashing against the archways that led into the different halls of the complex. Before any of the Pillars had time to react, they were completely frozen solid.

“Improvement in your magic, indeed,” he said under his breath.

“Careful, or you’ll sound like you’re impressed by the Pirate Queen’s heir.” Eira took the final steps two at a time, breezing past Taavin. When she landed on the floor below, the ice shivered away from her, carving a path so Taavin wouldn’t slip.

“I am capable of both considering someone an enemy and being impressed by their abilities.” He was a step behind as they crossed under the opening of the Archives.

“Am I your enemy?” Eira asked as the Pillars outside charged toward them, drawn by the magic.

“Not today.” Taavin smirked and turned to the oncoming men and women. He lifted his hands and Eira mirrored the motion.

Magic exploded from them both. Taavin had been complimenting her skill, but his was just as stunning. He’d made an effort to keep his abilities somewhat under wraps, because Eira had consumed every rumor and word of the Voice of Yargen that she could in her younger years. But none of the stories had painted him as shining, golden death.

His movements were a blur, arms and utterances weaving an intricate tapestry of glyphs through the air. She gathered ambient moisture under her fingertips. With flicks of her wrists, she sent barrages of ice shards hurtling away from her. They whistled a deadly lullaby as they soared before sinking into the advancing zealots.

Risen unfurled before them, a bloody canvas already in the early hours. The walls that had protected the path to the Archives now had hollows carved from them, the farthest one a shadowy void swirling and snapping into place at its center. Apparently, flash beads and ancient shift magic that tore at reality didn’t blend well.

They carved their path down the main road. Most of the Pillars were either focusing on running up to the Archives—that batch Eira and Taavin continued to deftly dispatch—or running down to the primary force that marched in the distance toward the wharf where vessels were moving cannons into position.

At the last wall, Eira caught sight of a familiar set of shoulders. Ducot stood at the edge of the living shadow, hands out, sweat dripping down his face.

“This is a mess!” he shouted as she approached. “Why did I let you talk me into trying to blow up a shift rift?”

“Because there was no other way.”

As they spoke, Taavin pushed a man using a glowing glyph into the void that lingered beyond the edge of the cobblestones. The Pillar fell back with a cry that was cut short as the shadow consumed him. Eira wondered if he landed in the maze of whispers they’d traversed earlier…or if he had suffered a worse fate.

She hoped it was the latter.

“Do you have this under control?” Eira asked.

“It’s only well beyond my expertise,” Ducot forced through clenched teeth. “But don’t worry, I’ll just stay with this unwieldy, writhing, barely controllable ball of fragmented reality and fractured magic!”

“Is Risen at risk?”

“No. Shouldn’t be. I don’t know!” Ducot’s exasperation was cut short by a series of deafening booms that rattled the foundation of the city. Eira’s attention was instantly drawn in the direction of the sound, but she couldn’t see past the living wall of shadow.

“She’s here,” Ducot whispered, voicing what they were simultaneously thinking. They both knew the sounds of those cannons in their bones.

“I’m going to get him.” Eira clasped Ducot’s shoulder.

He knew what she was asking. “I have this.”

“I have faith in you.” Eira chased after Taavin.

He continued to display impressive finesse as he traced luminescent glyphs into the air, carving a path forward. Eira worked to move in harmony with him, as much as she could. But, for the most part, they fought on their own, battling side by side.

“There!” Taavin pointed and Eira’s focus followed his finger.

Slowly bumbling down the main road of Risen was a massive cannon. It was pulled by several horses and was followed by two metal carriages. Pillars packed tightly around it, guarding the weapon and ammunition…and the man who rode between the two.

Even from her vantage, Eira could make out Ulvarth perfectly from among them. He was atop a massive white steed, silver plate glinting in the daylight. The sun’s rays seemed to bounce and swirl around it, giving him a protective, golden haze. A white cape with the symbol of the Pillars emblazoned in gold draped over the horse’s haunches. He exuded calm confidence, as if he truly was ordained by the goddess herself.

A cannon shot whizzed toward them from one of the ships in the wharf and Ulvarth did nothing more than hold up his hand. The glow extended farther from him, enveloping the column. The shot exploded against the barrier and scattered harmlessly. The magic wavered, but held fast as Ulvarth drew it around himself again.

Eira’s hand balled into a fist that was instantly coated in ice. It quivered. The whole world fell away into obscurity. There was nothing but him…and her. No fighting in the bay. No smoke and explosions in the city.

Stillness overtook her. All that filled Eira’s ears were her ragged breaths and the thundering beat of her heart. It was time to end this.

But time had not stood still. The column was slowing to a stop. Pillars were bustling about Ulvarth, attending to the cannon.

Reality snapped back, and with it her full attention. She drew her eyes down the wide street and sloping hill, toward the open water—in the direction the Pillars’ cannon was pointed. It was a clear shot to the full naval battle in the bay and wharf.

“They’re trying to funnel them,” Eira realized. The stolen ships from Meru’s armada were pressing in on the Solaris and Qwint vessels. The only one free of it was the Stormfrost . But Adela had her hands full enough.

Taavin’s attention swept over the city. He made a choked strangling noise and attempted to lunge to action. Eira caught his wrist but didn’t explain. Her focus was on the river that split Risen.

Come to me, she instructed the water. And it did. A veil of water taller than the highest building drew up from the river. It loomed over Risen, casting a tall shadow that gave pause to the Pillars’ efforts. With a curl of her fingers, she drew back her hand. Come hither . The towering wall of water roared forward, crashing against buildings, ripping through Risen.

“Eira!” Her name was a mix of shock and horror from Taavin.

But she didn’t relent. The massive tidal wave crashed over the Pillars and their weapons, sweeping the frontlines and scattering the men. Bodies rolled and currents churned with wriggles of her fingers as she held them under. Yet, against her magic as well, Ulvarth’s barrier held fast. The water parted around him and his section of the column as though it were a boulder in a river.

“There were people in those buildings!” Taavin shouted.

“I tried to keep the water from inside of them,” she snapped back, her focus wavering and the water falling limp. Eira glared up at Taavin. The frustrations she’d been harboring for weeks now burst loose. “We’re not going to defeat an enemy who thrives on cruelty and inhumanity by playing nicely . I am going to try to avoid anyone else being lost in the fray but, damn it, it’s going to take a monster to defeat him and I will be that monster.”

Taavin held her stare, looking almost like he was going to object or reprimand her again. But he didn’t. Instead, he turned back to the Pillars, working to recover as the water sloughed down drains and troughs on either side of the road like rainwater.

The moment she released him, Taavin was off like an arrow from a bowstring. Eira was close behind, drawing water up the hillside. It formed a smooth plane of ice underneath her feet that she slid down. Taavin summoned spears from sunlight, outlines glowing like threads of molten gold, breathtaking amid the death and destruction.

Eira sped past him, smoothing the ice, keeping it under the soles of her boots. At the bottom of the hill, her slope curved up and Eira ramped off, launching herself over the initial barricade of Pillars.

It was then that Ulvarth’s attention slowly turned. Their eyes met as she landed. His barrier didn’t extend outward to block her. Perhaps because he saw her too late. Probably because he wanted her there.

Once more, the world narrowed onto them alone. A tiny smile cracked the corners of his lips.

“Finally,” he whispered for them both.