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

Chapter 41

41

S he crashed into him, time speeding up once more. A spear of ice was in her hand that sheered against his armor. Magic sputtered and crumbled into a thousand glistening shards that skittered across the cobblestones.

Eira rolled, using the momentum to get herself away. Ulvarth was much slower in all his heavy plate—armor that was absolutely covered in Allun’s runes. They crackled as if alive, connecting with arcing, protective magic. That was what was making the golden haze and she’d bet that, much like a trigger ring for a flashfire, the runes on his gauntlets were what gave him control of it.

“You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you?” Ulvarth reached for the saddle now beside him. The horse was of miraculous stock, still standing and calm among the chaos. Strapped across the saddle was a flashfire, runes emblazoned upon it.

“I certainly hoped not.” Eira stood and placed her feet down heavily. Water cleared the ground around them, pushing out and rising up as ice—forming an arena before any of his men could rush in. “You and me, Ulvarth. No others, no tricks.”

“I don’t need a trick to defeat a pathetic child that has only been kept alive out of my own amusement.” He made a show of loading the flashfire. Eira watched with keen interest, eyes flicking from the movements of his hands to his face as she began to slowly approach. She didn’t want to seem too nonchalant. Otherwise, he might suspect something was amiss.

A whisper of familiar magic had the hairs on the back of her neck rising. Soaking the city hadn’t just been for show, or defensive purposes. She now had a clear picture of every building as it dripped in the late morning sun. She could feel the people moving within and around them. Familiar magic scuttled up her spine on the edge of her awareness.

Not yet …

“But I will give you a chance to barter for your life,” Ulvarth continued, none the wiser.

“You’re so much more generous than me…” Eira unsheathed the dagger, holding it between them as she continued to circle, drawing closer and closer. “The best I could offer you would be a quick death. But even then…I’m not that charitable.” The words grew cold.

He chuckled and lifted the flashfire, pointing its open end at her. “Return my magic to me, now , and I’ll let you leave Meru so long as you swear to never return.”

“Bartering with a heretic.” Eira tsked . “What would your followers think?”

“They think nothing but what I tell them.”

It wasn’t succinct enough . She needed something more. A little more goading …

“You still don’t have your power?”

“I have power enough.”

“Your magic?” Eira paused, easing her stance. Surely she was close enough now.

“You know I do not.” His voice shifted into a growl. “I wouldn’t entertain you otherwise.”

“What happened to being the Champion of Yargen?” Eira prodded. “Surely her handpicked Champion couldn’t be undone by a mere heretic from Solaris?”

“You try my patience.” Ulvarth lifted the flashfire once more. It quivered with his rage. “Restore my magic, now, or die.”

He was always so confident…to a fault.

“Then admit it,” Eira said calmly, but pointed the dagger in his face. “Admit that you have lost your magic because you are not the Champion of Yargen. That you have been lying to them all. Admit it to me now and I will restore your magic.”

The ice around them was so thick that it muffled all other sounds. Her magic flowed through the air on unseen currents, strengthening it all. The pale blue walls cracked as they arched over Eira and Ulvarth—keeping this space for them, and them alone. At least…that was what she hoped he thought.

Ulvarth chuckled. “Such pathetically simple demands. Fine, I admit it—I am no more the Champion of Yargen than any other man.” He stepped forward. Their weapons could nearly touch. “But you know what? It doesn’t matter. Because I put on the cape, and I say the words, and all of a sudden I am touched by the divine. I am holy because I have ordained myself to be so. Men and women are ready to throw their lives away at my whim. With this power, I can bring down everyone who once tried to slay me.”

Eira continued to glower up at him. Waiting. Silent. Sure enough, her patience paid off. Leave the silence standing for long enough and a man will hastily try to fill the space.

“So, you see, I don’t need my magic. They’ve already given me enough strength to do everything I’ve ever dreamed of.” Ulvarth took a slight step forward. The two weapons met, metal clanking softly on metal. Eira shifted her grip so her dagger wouldn’t be in contact with the runes on his flashfire. The last thing she wanted was to tangle the magic she was weaving. “And that’s why you’ll give it back to me. Because all you want is to sail away and be someone. You don’t care about me, or Meru, you care about yourself. So, give me back my magic, and we both get what we want.”

The man was so arrogant. He really believed that he was a powerful enough force to command people to throw away their lives—to conquer an entire kingdom without magic. In a way…he was right. He’d always managed to command that loyalty in his twisted, enigmatic way for the most wayward of souls.

The world seemed to hold its breath as they continued to stare each other down. The battle raged on outside. But in the icy half globe she’d made for them…everything was still.

Yet, a current of air tingled her fingers, lacing between them. Barely more than a whisper. Hardly perceptible to even her. But Eira would know it from anywhere. It was a signal from Cullen. That tickle of magic she’d sensed earlier had been the pistol. Yonlin and Cullen were in position. For now, she could only hope Olivin was with them. But she wasn’t going to let worry distract her.

Eira slowly, very, very slowly, eased away from Ulvarth. She was keenly aware of the flashfire that could take off her entire face. But Ulvarth still had the possibility of getting something he wanted from her…and that prevented him from firing.

Eyes locked on him, she slowly returned the dagger to her thigh. With a sigh, her magic began to relax. The currents shifted, but instead of pushing out from her, they spun inward. Eira began to withdraw her power.

“You’re right,” she said. “I don’t care about Meru.” Eira shrugged.

“Good to see you being honest with yourself at last.” The words were more of a sneer.

“I know,” Eira agreed easily. “It took long enough.” The cracks in the ice around them grew deeper as it continued to thin. “But you’re wrong about me not caring about you.”

“Oh?” His eyes narrowed. Ulvarth was skeptical in an instant. She’d have to move quickly; the tide was shifting, and if she didn’t move with it then she’d lose control of the situation. “And why would a girl from Solaris care about me?” The way he said it, he already knew the answer.

“Because as long as you’re alive, I’ll never be able to move on.” She smiled in the face of his confusion and growing anger. The world was slowly beginning to return to them as the ice thinned. Shadows could be seen moving outside. But she didn’t see any indication of her friends…all she could do was trust in the sign and her haphazard plan. “As long as you draw breath, I will know that the man who killed my brother walks free. I will be chained to my need for vengeance against the man who dared to lay his hands on me. Who hunted my friends—whose actions led to their death.”

“Fine.” The word was cruel and bitter. “If death is what you court then I will gladly give it to you.”

Ulvarth tightened the muscles in his arm. The flashfire straightened. At the same time, Eira snapped her magic. The frozen walls around them shattered. It wasn’t enough to fully distract Ulvarth…but it was enough to make him flinch.

A second was all it took.

Eira stepped back, farther away from him. As much as she wanted to scan the amassed people for her friends, she didn’t. Eira didn’t even know if they were winning or not. She kept her eyes only on Ulvarth. On the magic gathering around the gauntlet holding the flashfire.

“Die, heathen,” Ulvarth snarled. As his thumb went to move, it caught on ice that held it in place. He bared his teeth at her, ready to levy verbal rage. But he didn’t have a chance.

The echo of a shot rang out over Risen, louder than the bells from the Archives.